Mexico

Four Juárez police officers killed by gunmen

By Aileen B. Flores / El Paso Times
Posted: 12/04/2010 05:13:08 PM MST

Four municipal police officers were ambushed and killed Saturday in Juárez.

Just before 11:30 a.m., the officers responded to an emergency call at the intersection of Cuahutla and Acampopistle streets.

Police officials said the officers were on board a unit when three vehicles blocked their way and rounded them up. A group of gunmen then open fire and killed the officers.

The victims were identified as Martha Hernández Veina, 32, Eloy Guadalupe Gutiérrez Mejía, 38, Andrés Gutiérrez Lucero, 33 and Román Hernández Montes, 27.

Juárez mayor Héctor Murguía Lardizábal condemned the attack.

He said although there are some bad elements in the agency, there are still good officers who are fighting to give a sense of security to the community.

"Therefore, we have to recognize that many agents such as the ones in the municipal, state and federal police are fighting for safety," he said.

Last week, Cmdr. Alvaro Gilberto Torres Ramírez, the operational coordinator at the Benito Juárez regional command, was shot multiple times and killed by hit men.