Six people are dead and six others wounded in an armed attack at the La Resaka nightclub, located in the El Llano, Primera Sección neighborhood of Tula de Allende, Hidalgo. This municipality is part of a territorial dispute between organized crime groups involved in fuel theft from Pemex pipelines, extortion, drug dealing, and kidnapping.
According to the preliminary report, a group of armed men entered the establishment and opened fire on those inside. The victims have not yet been identified.
After a call to the emergency number, the Tula Municipal Public Security and Transit Secretariat was the first to arrive at the bar in the El Llano neighborhood and found four people dead. They also reported that there were more people wounded by gunfire.
By the time local law enforcement arrived, those responsible for the armed attack had fled, so a search operation was launched, joined by the State Public Security Secretariat (SSPH) and the National Guard.
Proceso confirmed that, although the death toll at the scene was four, two more who had suffered fatal gunshot wounds later died in the hospitals to which they were rushed. The latest death was reported this morning, that of a patient in critical condition who was admitted to the Tula General Hospital after the shooting.
To date, no official authority has released any information regarding the armed attack.
During his appearance on November 26 before members of the LXVI Legislature of Hidalgo as part of the review of the third government report, the state’s Secretary of Public Security, Salvador Cruz Neri, was questioned about the operations of organized crime in the state.
Because the Tula region has faced high-impact situations such as armed attacks and extremely violent homicides, the police commander insisted that this scenario is due to the fragmentation of the Los H cartel and the Los Solas group; previously, a single group led by Hugo Alberto Muñoz Marmolejo, “El H,” who was arrested on March 15. Three days later, José David, “El H’s” brother, was murdered, and, according to the official narrative, there was a fight for control of the area.
In addition to denying the presence of other drug trafficking groups in the territory, he told legislators that they have arrested 70 members of Los H and Los Solas. He also asserted that, although the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identifies three cartels in Hidalgo, the state Public Security agency has no knowledge of their operations and that no group poses a threat to them.
“We are not worried about any criminal gang. For the state (of Hidalgo), no criminal gang is stronger than the state. Public security is prepared to eradicate any criminal gang that comes to commit crimes here in the state,” he said at a press conference following his appearance, in which he had previously mentioned that when Los H had sole control in Tula, criminal groups from other states, “from the State of Mexico, from Michoacán, would arrive and fight to the death,” to explain the violence and the operation of this group.
He acknowledged 20 priority targets for arrest, while affirming that they have the force to deter them.
The SSPH (State Public Security Secretariat) was contacted by Proceso about the armed attack in Tula, but did not respond to the request.
The Attorney General’s Office (PGJEH) secured the perimeter of the attack site and the La Resaka nightclub to begin the forensic examinations and investigations, as well as to start the removal of bodies.
Source: Proceso
