HUITZILAC, MEXICO – Local authorities confirmed eight casualties from a shooting that occurred over the weekend in Huitzilac, a town in Mexico’s Morelos state. Taking place in the vicinity of a highway connecting Mexico City with the popular tourist destination of Cuernavaca, the tragedy left four dead on-scene while an equal number passed away in hospital care.
Police reports indicate that the victims’ ages ranged between 29 and 50 years, though one decedent remains unidentified. All bodies have been transported to forensic medical service facilities for further inquiries amidst the ongoing investigation.
Huitzilac, characterized by its remote forest landscapes, has suffered from criminal issues, including kidnapping, illegal logging, and drug-related gang activity. The town’s close proximity to Mexico’s capital makes it a likely hideout for such criminal elements.
Fielding the shock of his constituents, Mayor Rafael Vargas condemned the aggressive act committed in the heart of Huitzilac as “terrible violence.” He made a call to end the rampant violence in the town and assured to denounce all misinformation intending to harm its residents.
Though Morelos is a favored vacation spot for those living in Mexico City, its adjacency to the tumultuous Guerrero state opens it to the operations of various drug cartels. Last year, a standoff between law enforcement and suspected criminals resulted in nine deaths in neighboring Cuernavaca.
The country’s controversial military-based anti-drug pursuit, which began in 2006, has seen around 450,000 individuals murdered. This worrisome figure draws from official data and includes the 18 bodies discovered just last week in Zacatecas, another statistically perilous state where drug-related violence is rife.