A deadly incident occurred on December 12th in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, during which two women were fatally shot while they were setting up a taco stand. The incident happened around 5:15 PM on the Bulevar Agricultores, near the Laureles Pinos neighborhood. Witnesses reported that the women were caught in the crossfire of a gun battle between armed civilians and municipal police. A bystander mentioned that she heard many gunshots and quickly hid in a nearby room. Following the incident, three vehicles were found abandoned at the scene, one of which contained a grenade and a high-powered rifle. Military forces were called to the scene to safely dispose of the grenade. The women were found lying on the sidewalk, with one located near the street of Campanillas. The investigation is ongoing.
Title: Neighbors of Culiacán Left in Shock After Deadly Shootout Kills Three
Subtitle: Residents of a quiet Culiacán neighborhood recount their experience as a violent shootout leaves three dead
CULIACÁN, Mexico — The usually peaceful streets of a residential neighborhood in Culiacán, the capital of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, were shattered by the sound of gunfire on Tuesday evening. The violent incident, which lasted for several minutes, left three people dead and sent shockwaves through the community, leaving neighbors in shock and fear.
The shootout took place around 8:30 PM in the Villa Universidad neighborhood, an area known for its quiet streets and families. According to eyewitnesses, the violence began when a group of armed men arrived in vehicles and opened fire on a house. The target of the attack was reportedly a man known as "El Chueco," a suspected member of a local criminal organization.
"I was watching TV with my family when we heard the first shots," said Maria, a neighbor who wished to withhold her last name for safety reasons. "We all hit the floor and stayed there until it was over. It felt like an eternity."
The shootout lasted for around 15 minutes, with gunmen using high-caliber weapons, including assault rifles and grenades. The intense exchange of fire left three people dead, including El Chueco, and several others injured. The house targeted in the attack was completely destroyed, with bullet holes and signs of fire visible on the walls and roof.
"I’ve lived here for 20 years, and we’ve never seen anything like this," said another neighbor, Juan. "This is a family neighborhood. We’re all in shock."
The violence in Culiacán has been escalating in recent months, with rival criminal organizations battling for control of the city’s lucrative drug trafficking routes. The Sinaloa Cartel, once led by the notorious Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, has been engaged in a bitter feud with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) for dominance in the region.
The Culiacán Police and the Mexican Army arrived at the scene shortly after the shootout ended, cordoning off the area and investigating the incident. However, many residents expressed concern about their safety and the lack of protection from authorities.
"We’re scared," said Maria. "We don’t know if this is going to happen again. We just want to live in peace."
The Culiacán municipal government has not yet issued an official statement on the incident. However, the state’s governor, Quirino Ordaz Coppel, has vowed to continue fighting organized crime and bringing those responsible for violence to justice.
As the sun rose over Culiacán on Wednesday, the residents of Villa Universidad were left to pick up the pieces, their once-peaceful neighborhood now a grim reminder of the escalating violence gripping the city. The deadly shootout serves as a stark warning of the ongoing struggle for control in Mexico’s drug war, with innocent lives caught in the crossfire.
