Mayor among scores killed in Mexico shooting

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - Authorities in Mexico confirmed Thursday that at least 20 people were killed in a shooting in the municipality of San Miguel Totolapan, in the state of Guerrero on Mexico's southwest coast.

The Undersecretary of Public Security, Ricardo Mejía Berdeja, confirmed the fatalities where the Mayor of Totolapan, Conrado Mendoza, and his father were among those killed.
Authorities said that the victims included seven police officers and city hall workers.

Berdeja said at a news conference that the massacre resulted from a conflict between the La Familia and Los Tequileros criminal organizations, which are active in Guerrero. He said Los Tequileros are engaged in drug trafficking, kidnapping and extortion.

Authorities are investigating two La Familia leaders, codenamed “El Pez” and “El Fresa” for their involvement in the massacre.

An armed group burst into the municipal building of San Miguel Totolapan on Wednesday and shot at town hall workers indiscriminately. Authorities report that the shooters went into the mayor's house after the attack and killed him.

Guerrero state prosecutor, Sandra Luz Valdovinos, said Thursday that no suspects have been arrested.

Guerrero has registered 1,267 homicides from January to August. Although it is not among the states with the highest murder rates, it is a region with some of the most army deployments.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's administration is amongst the most violent in the country's history, reporting more than 34,000 annual homicides since the start of his term in December 2018.

There have been 126,000 homicides during Lopez Obrador's administration, according to official figures.