Gunmen Kill 4 Police in Acapulco

Four policemen were murdered on Thursday in two different incidents in the resort community of Acapulco, on Mexico's Pacific coast, which in recent weeks has been the site of much violent settling of scores among drug traffickers.

In the first attack, unknown gunmen fired at two municipal police officers who were patrolling in their police car on the outskirts of Acapulco, an official with the Guerrero state Attorney General's Office reported.

Acapulco is located in the state of Guerrero.

The lifeless bodies of Guillermo Olea Salgado and Victor Muñoz Valerio were found inside their police car.

Just minutes later, on the same avenue on which the first attack occurred, two traffic cops who were also patrolling in their vehicle were shot to death.

Nicolas Colon Bacho and Humberto Solis Olmedo died in the attack when gunmen fired on their vehicle as it was moving along the street. Colon Bacho's body was found inside the vehicle and his partner's body was found on the street.

The attackers used AK-47 assault rifles in the attacks. The weapons are commonly used by organized criminal groups.

With these two attacks, in less than four days, seven policemen have been killed in Acapulco. On Monday, a patrol car was attacked by unknown gunmen and three police officers were killed.

Police officers who asked for anonymity told Efe that on Wednesday night they had received threats over their radio frequencies saying that if Acapulco Security Secretary Paulino Vargas did not resign, more officers would be killed.

In less than 15 days, at least 83 people have been killed by organized criminal groups in the coastal resort that once was considered a vacation paradise for Hollywood stars and foreign tourists.