Slayings, Arrests Mount in Juárez

El Paso Times

Four men were shot and killed early Sunday outside a bar in downtown Juárez during another violent weekend in the most dangerous city in Mexico.

The men were attacked shortly after midnight by gunmen who fired 26 rounds outside Eduardo's bar at Mariscal and Ignacio Mejia streets, Chihuahua state police said.

Police said one of the slain men was 22-year-old Victor Romero Ruiz, but the other three victims had yet to be identified.

The group was among more than 30 people killed since Friday, including two men who whose bodies were mutilated. Friday had 18 homicides, placing it among the deadliest days since a drug cartel war began in January 2008.

On Saturday afternoon, a shootout between Mexican military police and gang members left two men dead.

Military officials said the confrontation began when a military patrol en route to a just-committed murder saw the suspected killers' car in colonia Insurgentes in west Juárez.

During a vehicle pursuit, the car's occupants shot at the soldiers, who returned fire and killed the two men. Ricardo Corrales, 25, died in the car and Humberto Dominguez, 30, died while being transported to a hospital. Two 9-mm handguns were found in the car. The men were members of the Aztecas gang, military officials said.

In other news, federal police recently announced the arrest of a suspected hit man for the Juárez drug cartel accused in 25 murders since last year.

Jesus Efrain Aranda Arreola, who is also suspected of selling rock-cocaine on public bus routes, is allegedly part of a cartel hit cell known as Babicoras. Joint Operation Chihuahua officials said Aranda, 27, works for a man identified as Diego, El Blablazo or El 10.

Federal police also arrested Angel Alfonso "El Cachetón" Rodriguez Delgado, 19, and Felipe Antonio "Enano" Enriquez, 29, who are both are suspected members of the Artistas Asesinos (Artist Assassins) gang accused of killing three members of the Juárez cartel.

As of Sunday evening, nearly 90 people had been murdered in the Juárez area since the start of the new year, according to information provided by the state prosecutor's office.

Jornada violenta en Ciudad Juárez

Categories: ciudad juarez, Mexican Crime, organized crime, sicarios, video