Police Flee From Armed Men After Responding to Shooting in Los Mochis, Sinaloa

By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat

A flower shop in Los Mochis, Sinaloa has been the target of threats and violence from a criminal group, who shot up the store while trying to kidnap the owner and later placed a threatening narco message on a funeral wreath outside. The events have been recorded on the businesses' security cameras.

Narrated video version of the article.

On May 9 at 10:48 p.m., security cameras of the flower shop Rosas Los Mochis show five armed men drive up in a white vehicle before firing a barrage of shots through the open door. The audio captures the panicked screaming of the workers inside, some with their children, who shout "There are children here!". Upon hearing this, one man appears to lower his gun and walk away. 

Five men with rifles and bullet proof vests.

In the distance, police sirens can be heard, prompting the attackers to flee back towards their vehicle. The entire attack lasts just under a minute. One last attacker flees sprints out of the business, apparently shot at by the owner of the flower shop, an ex federal agent, reported Luz Noticias.

One 21 year old man identified as Brandon Alex “N” was injured in the attack.

The next CCTV video, filmed ten minutes after the attack according to the time stamp, shows a police car and two officers arriving to the scene. Seconds after they arrive and exit their patrol car, three white vehicles pull up and attempt to block the police in, two pickup trucks and what appears to the be the same white sedan from the first attack. 

Noticing the vehicles, the male officer runs back to the vehicle and reverses, while the female officer sprints away down the street. The police officer in the car leaves her behind in his retreat, as gunfire from the armed criminals can be heard.

“Por extorsionador, asaltante y secuestrador”

"For extorting, assaulting, and being a kidnapper"

On the following day, the owners of the shop reported that a funeral wreath and narco message were left in front of the business threatening them, as well as accusing the owners of kidnapping and extortion.

José María Morelos y Pavón 125, Centro, 81200 Los Mochis, Sin., Mexico

The region of Los Mochis in northern Sinaloa is controlled by factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. According to Ivan, a Borderland Beat contributor who writes on the state of Sinaloa and the Sinaloa Cartel, control of the plaza is split between Fausto Isidro Meza-Flores alias "Chapo Isidro", and a figure by the alias "El Chuta". It is unclear who is behind this attack.

Sources: Luz Noticias, El Universal, Linea Directa, A Discusion, FBI Chapito Isidro, Borderland Beat Archives

You can follow me on Twitter @HuasoBB. 

I tweet about organized crime in Latin America and security in Mexico.

Categories: El Huaso, Los Mochis, narco banner, sinaloa