Mexico: Another drug shootout

Tracy Wilkinson reports:

The fourth corpse pulled from the bullet-shattered pickup truck didn't have the benefit of a body bag. Only the face was covered (with a useless bulletproof vest). The victim's red shirt was even redder, soaked with blood. His bare arm hung limply from a gurney as he was lifted to a wagon from the morgue, the toes of his boots pointed skyward, at odd angles. He was one of five federal and state police agents killed in a brazen shootout Wednesday night on Culiacan city's prominent Emiliano Zapata Boulevard.

The officers were ambushed by gunmen in three vehicles who opened fire at an intersection outside an enormous casino called Play. The shooters escaped. Police, emergency workers and soldiers converged on the scene, as the casino's blue and purple neon lights blinked garishly over the dead men slumped in the cab and bed of the pocked pickup.

In all, 10 people were killed in Sinaloa state during a 24-hour period ended Wednesday night, a deadly slice of the burgeoning Mexican drug war. Nationwide, more than 4,000 people have been killed this year, according to Mexican media reports, many of them law enforcement agents doing battle with powerful drug gangs.

Read the rest of "Another bloody night in Sinaloa, Mexico" here.

Go here for our running coverage of Mexico's drug wars: "Mexico Under Siege."

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Photo: Family members of one of the slain state policemen console each other after seeing the pockmarked pickup the officers had been riding in when they were attacked in central Culiacan. The assailants, most likely cartel hitmen, escaped. At least 10 people died in the 24 hours ending Wednesday night in Culiacan, in Sinaloa state, which has become a hub of violence since the federal government launched a crackdown against drug gangs. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[adrian]

i just want to comment on the so called tea fire here in santa brabra county "monticito" sijce it was 10 pot smoking students from rick people who are going to donate lots and lots of cash they will not be charged with ant type of crime not even an infraction,much less a misdimenor, and god forbid a felony!!!! if you have cash your justice is much better then those of us that dont have any money! come on people open your eyes just this once and lets let justice be for real not justwords printed on a piece of paper! we live in a world that is very disfuntional no wonder our kids turn out the way they do. please lets do something about this form of justice our we will turn into a third world country! we are on our way people! we have no one to blame but ousselfs! we blame illegals but they are not to blame we are so get with it and take your head out of your ass! lol yeah right!!!!!!!!!!!