Law Enforcement
At least 11 killed in clashes between armed civilians and Mexican police
The Attorney General's Office of the State of Mexico confirmed that the operation aimed to capture a priority target
June 15, 2022 2:45pm
Updated: June 15, 2022 4:14pm
At least 11 individuals were killed and four others were injured during a confrontation between the police and an armed group in the municipality of Texcaltitlan during an operation against local crime, reported the Attorney General's Office of the State of Mexico (FGJEM) on Tuesday.
Seven of the alleged attackers have been detained, according to Mexican media reports.
#Informe. Esta mañana, durante una acción operativa de la @FiscaliaEdomex realizada en #Texcaltitlán contra la delincuencia, un grupo fuertemente armado atacó a elementos de la institución, 3 de ellos fueron lesionados, no de gravedad. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/JZTxvV52Rf
— Fiscalía Edoméx (@FiscaliaEdomex) June 14, 2022
The FGJEM reported that the confrontation began after the group of armed men attacked its agents. In response, "with legitimate use of force," the police killed 11 of the alleged attackers.
The state prosecutor's office also confirmed that the operation was aimed at capturing a priority target, allegedly responsible for the high levels of violence in the region. The target has an arrest warrant for homicide and another for extortion.
The police were mobilized in response to the aggression registered on May 3 at the Citizen Attention Center of Sultepec.
"Information was obtained from a target who had probably participated in the aggression suffered on March 18, 2021, in which five Investigation Police and eight elements of the State Security Secretariat lost their lives after being shot in the municipality of Coatepec Harinas," said the FGJEM.
As a result of the operation in Texcaltitlán, 29 long arms, 11 R-15s, 11 AK-47s, one submachine gun, three hunting rifles, two shotguns—one of them handmade—and five handguns were seized.
Police also recovered 24 bulletproof vests, seven tactical helmets, nine bulletproof helmets, six ballistic plates, two tactical knives, 84 loaded magazines for firearms of different calibers, communication radios, cell phones, five Mercedes Benz, Jeep, Ford, and Toyota pickup trucks, as well as a Nissan Versa vehicle.
In November, FGJEM agents clashed with armed men in Texcaltitlán. Two officers were killed, and six were injured in the fight.
