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| Mayor among dead as gunmen launch attack in Mexican town | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Mayor Conrado Mendoza Almeda's party condemned his "cowardly" assassination | Mayor Conrado Mendoza Almeda's party condemned his "cowardly" assassination |
| Gunmen have killed the mayor of a small town in south-western Mexico, and at least 17 others, officials have confirmed. | |
| Police say gunmen stormed the San Miguel Totolapan town hall at 14:00 (19:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Photos online show it riddled with bullet holes. | |
| Mayor Conrado Mendoza Almeda's party, the PRD, has condemned his "cowardly" assassination and demanded justice. | Mayor Conrado Mendoza Almeda's party, the PRD, has condemned his "cowardly" assassination and demanded justice. |
| The attack has been blamed on the Los Tequileros criminal gang. | The attack has been blamed on the Los Tequileros criminal gang. |
| Police officers and council workers were also killed in the massacre, with graphic images of bloodied bodies lying on the ground circulating on social media. | Police officers and council workers were also killed in the massacre, with graphic images of bloodied bodies lying on the ground circulating on social media. |
| Mr Mendoza Almeda's father, former mayor Juan Mendoza Acosta, was also killed - in his home - before the attack moved to the city hall. | Mr Mendoza Almeda's father, former mayor Juan Mendoza Acosta, was also killed - in his home - before the attack moved to the city hall. |
| A highway in the state of Guerrero, where San Miguel Totolapan lies, was reportedly briefly blocked by large vehicles to prevent security forces from getting into the city. | |
| Even by the violent standards of Guerrero state, this was a shocking attack, reports the BBC's Mexico correspondent, Will Grant. | |
| San Miguel Totolapan lies in the heart of a region known as Tierra Caliente, a violent part of drug cartel-controlled western Mexico. | |
| Various groups battle for control of the lucrative drug routes north along the Pacific corridor, our correspondent adds. | |
| In a preliminary report seen by local media, Guerrero's attorney general said that as well as the 18 people who were killed, three others were wounded. | |
| Following the attack, the Ministry of National Defence said it was deploying army and navy units to the area to find the gunmen. | Following the attack, the Ministry of National Defence said it was deploying army and navy units to the area to find the gunmen. |
| Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda tweeted to say she deeply regretted the deaths. | Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda tweeted to say she deeply regretted the deaths. |
| Shortly before the attack, alleged members of Los Tequileros released a video on social networks announcing its return to the region, where they had been fighting a rival drug gang. | Shortly before the attack, alleged members of Los Tequileros released a video on social networks announcing its return to the region, where they had been fighting a rival drug gang. |
| The criminal group devastated Guerrero between 2015 and 2017 - and was known for threatening mayors of the region - until its leader, Raybel Jacobo de Almonte was assassinated. | The criminal group devastated Guerrero between 2015 and 2017 - and was known for threatening mayors of the region - until its leader, Raybel Jacobo de Almonte was assassinated. |
| De Almonte was known as El Tequilero - the Tequila Drinker - and his gang took their name from him. | De Almonte was known as El Tequilero - the Tequila Drinker - and his gang took their name from him. |
| Additional reporting by Tiffany Wertheimer |