19 killed in Mexico shoot-out, injured in hospital

Authorities called to town of Las Tinajas in central Mexico’s Michoacan state after reports of attack on venue used for illegal betting on cockfights

Area is one of Mexico’s most violent because of turf wars between rival gangs involved in drug trafficking and other illegal activities

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Investigators comb another crime scene in Mexico. The country has had around 340,000 murders since 2006. File photo: AP

Published: 7:11pm, 28 Mar 2022Updated: 7:59pm, 28 Mar 2022

Nineteen people were shot and killed in central Mexico on Sunday, the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) said in a statement.

Authorities were called to the scene at around 10.30pm (0430 GMT Monday) following reports of an attack on a venue often used for hosting illegal betting on cockfights in the town of Las Tinajas, Michoacan state.

“Nineteen lifeless bodies were found (16 men and three women), who had gunshot wounds,” the FGE said. Several others were injured and had been sent to hospital, it added.

Federal authorities were working “with the aim of capturing those responsible for the violent acts,” the office of Michoacan’s secretary of public security said.

Mexican journalists protesting against the murder this month of their colleague Armando Linares in Morelia, Michoacan state. Photo: AFP

Authorities did not give a reason for the shooting but Michoacan and neighbouring Guanajuato are two of Mexico’s most violent states due to turf wars between rival gangs involved in drug trafficking and other illegal activities, including trade in stolen fuel.

Michoacan is also the world’s biggest avocado-producing region and threats against a US inspector working there last month prompted the United States to suspend Mexican exports of the fruit for more than a week.