Mexico Attack: At least ten guards and four inmates were killed early Sunday when gunmen in armored vehicles attacked a state prison in Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, according to state officials.
The Chihuahua state prosecutor’s office said in a statement that around 7 a.m. various armored vehicles arrived at the prison and gunmen opened fire on the guards. In addition to those killed, 13 people were injured and at least 24 prisoners escaped.
Mexican soldiers and state police regained control of the prison later on Sunday. The state prosecutor’s office said its staff was investigating.
A similar incident happened in August last year
Last August, a riot broke out in the streets of Juarez inside the same state prison, killing 11 people. In that case, two inmates were killed inside the prison and then alleged gang members began a shooting spree in the city, including the killing of four employees of a radio station who were preaching at a restaurant.
Violence often occurs in Mexican prisons, with officials in some places only nominally in control. There are regular skirmishes between prisoners from rival gangs, which serve as proxies for drug cartels in places like Juárez.
Shortly before Sunday’s attack on the prison, municipal police were attacked and after a chase managed to capture four people, according to a statement from the state prosecutor’s office. Later, police gunned down two alleged gunmen traveling in an SUV.
(with inputs from AP)
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