Zeta Leader Killed in Shootout in Monterrey

Following a pursuit and confrontation with the military, four members of an armed group were killed by gunfire after they come out shooting from an SUV in Colonia Caracol south of Monterrey.

The military said unofficially that one of the dead men could be one of the main leaders of the cartel Los Zetas, known as "El Sonrics," a sicario that had previously managed to escape from several federal operations.

"El Sonrics" was allegedly the ring leader of a cell of Los Zetas operating out of southern Nuevo Leon.

Mexican police say narco-blockades are becoming more common in Monterrey, with the most recent occurring Saturday. Earlier this month, soldiers stood guard around stolen trailers used by gunmen to form a barricade on a main road.

After the shootout between authorities and gunmen, at about 0050 hours, there was a report of at least 13 "narcobloqueos" blockades that once again restricted the main thoroughfares of the city and the tranquility of motorists.

The attack

Military sources reported that a convoy of three army units ran into two SUV's along Avenida Chapultepec, about 500 meters east of the junction with Revolution.

When the military attempted to stop the two vehicles for an inspection, the vehicles sped away at full speed on a west bound direction.

While fleeing, the gunmen launched an attack against the military that forced the military to respond back with gunfire. The gunfire from the military managed to damage the right rear tire of an armored black Jeep Limited.

The gunshot to the tire caused the vehicle to crash into a wooden pole, while the other truck managed to escape at the intersection with Eighth Street.

At that instant, five occupants of the SUV came out running and opened fire on soldiers that were travelling in three pickups.

The soldiers returned fire and killed two of the gunmen, one of them allegedly "El Sonrics." His body was behind a parked white Chevy and the other a few feet from it in the parking lot of a business.

Two more gunmen ran about 300 meters. First they ran to the west of Chapultepec, then they ran on south on Seventh Street and then they turned east by Juventino Rosas.

The military troops ran after them and caught up to them killing them while they attempted to hide behind some bushes.

A fifth gunman managed to escape.

Inside the black Jeep Limited the SEDENA found and seized three assault rifles, cartridges, ammunition of different calibers, bullet proof vests and radio equipment, in addition to cell phones.

The area was heavily saturated by members of "Grupo Reacción Inmediata" a team of elite members of the military and state police.

The narcobloqueos

Gunmen forced motorists at gun point out of their vehicles and hand over the keys to their cars.

There were blockades reported in Revolución and Chapultepec, very near to the scene of the gunfight, and also at Félix U. Gómez and Madero, Constitución and Félix U. Gómez, and Morones Prieto and Veracruz.

In the heart of Downtown, at Madero and Pino Suarez, several vehicles were crossed to obstruct the road.

In Fidel Velazquez, there were blockades in Ruiz Cortines, Rodrigo Gomez and Copan, in Bernardo Reyes, Pedro Mariano Salas and Ramón Corral; and in Lincoln and Rangel Frías

Road were reported blocked in Alfonso Reyes and General Anaya, and by the university in San Nicolás.

Monterrey, the richest city in Mexico and its industrial capital, has seen a sharp increase in crime since Los Zetas extended their operations there.