Chihuahua: Update on the Juarez Cop Shop Attack
2010-07-13
Posted by: badanov
This is easily one of the strangest stories since we started monitoring Mexican drug and criminal gang news.
Rewritten.
Three dead and two wounded are the toll in a shootout early Sunday morning in northern Juarez close to the Zaragona International bridge, according to the Mexican daily El Mexicano.
At the moment there are conflicting reports as to what happened. News organizations in Juarez say there was a pitched battle lasting more than 40 minutes involving Juarez police and Mexican Federal agents near the Benito Juarez police station in far northern Juarez near to the US border, while Mexican local, state and federal authorities deny any police were involved in the gun battle.
Photos released by news organizations hours after the shootout show a number of damaged vehicles and crime scenes where some of the shootings took place.
At about 0100 hrs. Sunday morning residents near the intersection of calles Zaragoza and Waterfill reported massive gunfire near the Benito Juarez police station, where a male bystander was killed. According to the report by El Mexicano walls of buildings in the area showed several bullet hits, about 22 in all.
Nearby, a man was found dead in his Nissan Maxima, having been struck twice by bullets.
The two armed suspects driving an SUV sped out of the area due west towards an area under construction near the intersection of calles Ejercito Nacional and Ramon Rayon. Failing to notice the warning signs, the van was driven into a ditch.
Whoops!
The apparent impact caused an explosion which completely burned the truck. Conflicting reports say the SUV was carrying hand grenades which exploded, but apparently another report said the suspects were carrying Molotov cocktails, one of which exploded. Both suspects died at the scene.
The poor, heavily armed innocents! No doubt the Holy Virgin saw to it their souls ended up where they ought.
Sunday morning the US daily El Paso Times reported that a vehicle chase by El Paso police took place early Sunday morning, after officers observed an SUV leaving the scene of an accident. The chase ended at the Zaragoza bridge where the suspects eluded pursuit by US police by speeding into Juarez. The newspaper also reported Mexican authorities denied the Benito Juarez police station was involved.
Reports are the Border Patrol station at the Zaragoza bridge was fired on as the SUV sped into Mexico. No one was reported hurt in that exchange.
News reports at the time suggested that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was called in to investigate the pursuit.
The Mexican daily Tiempo reported Sunday afternoon that the police station wasn't even attacked, posting photos provided by authorities of the building's facade on their website.
The official version from Mexican authorities is that not even the Juarez police were involved. However, witness accounts say Juarez municipal police were in fact involved.
Who are you going to believe, the authorities or your lying eyes?According to El Mexicano, emergency calls said that gunfire was reported near the intersection of avenidas Manuel Gomez Morin and Prolongacion Jilotepec.
Reports El Mexicano ( monitoring police frequencies ): "
"Many bodies are lying on the new road, near station Benito Juarez, and wounded comrades are being moved to Star Medica".
As of a few hours ago, at an afternoon press conference, Juarez major Jose Reyes Ferriz stated emphatically Sunday morning's shootings did not involve the Benito Juarez police station.
Trying out his best Baghdad Bob imitation?