Translated by Valor for Borderland Beat
Shootouts between the police and alleged criminals, occurring both Thursday and Friday in Río Bravo, Tamaulipas, left seven dead.
First, on Thursday, the Coordination Group of Tamaulipas (GCT) reported that: state police belonging to the Fuerza Tamaulipas (Tamaulipas Force) were attacked on two occasions by members of a criminal group, leaving two dead in the line of duty, while a policewoman was injured, along with an innocent bystander.
In the first attack, which occurred shortly after 19:00 hours in Independencia street located at the center of the border municipality, two unidentified gunmen who were driving in a sports car were killed.
During this attack, state policeman Ramón Zúñiga died, while a policewoman was injured by a gunshot. Her condition was reported as stable and out of danger.
During the second attack, the state police were searching for the assailants, who were also attacked by armed gunmen at the crossing of the streets Independencia and Galeana, leaving Officer José Dionisio Bañuelos Chavira dead while an innocent bystander was injured.
The attackers, who were traveling in several vehicles, created blockades in some parts of the city in order to evade federal forces who were sent in to support the forces of the Fuerza Tamaulipas. The assailants escaped taking exit roads to Reynosa, Río Bravo and Valle Hermoso.
The blockades were subsequently removed by the military and federal authorities, which secured three rifles, two pistols, magazines, cartridges, and a car.
Meanwhile on Friday, the group reported on three more deaths in the municipality of Río Bravo:
“…state police of the Fuerza Tamaulipas were attacked by members of a criminal group. Repelling the aggression, three gunmen were gunned down.
The attack occurred at 4:25 am at the crossing of the streets Guanajuato and Pípila, in the district Fundadores of this border town.
The state police conducted ground reconnaissance at that point of the municipality when they were suddenly attacked by gunmen who were onboard a white Jeep Grand Cherokee with Texas plates.
In defense of their lives, the forces of the Fuerza Tamualipas repelled the attack, killing three criminals who have not yet been identified and who were between 20-25 years old.
Inside the Jeep, rifles, magazines, rounds of ammunition and two cell phones were secured, which were made available to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Federation.”
Source: Aristegui Noticias