Cop kills three before committing suicide in southern Mexico

2010-12-15 02:16:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

CANCUN, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- A southern Mexico policeman killed three co-workers before committing suicide in the touristic city of Cancun on early Tuesday morning, local media reported.

Ignacio Torres Alvarado, a three-year veteran with the police force, killed three officers in the early hours of Tuesday in the Supermanzana 15 neighborhood in downtown Cancun. The motive of the crime is still unknown.

At around 1.00 a.m. local time, authorities received a report that gunshots were heard in the area. Police initially believed it was a terror attack but quickly discovered it was not when they arrived at the scene.

Alvarado is believed to have shot and killed three fellow police officers. He first fired at Fany Baeza González who was inside her 5495 patrol car parked outside a police security post. He then entered the facility and shot at Luis Fernado Medina León and Miguel Bañuelos Martínez, killing both.

Another female police officer was able to escape as she hid inside the post's restroom. The shooter then stepped outside and shot himself on a sidewalk, killing himself.

Authorities are not certain what the motive of the attack was, but said it may have been part of the drug cartels war to control Cancun's narcotics market. So far this month, at least a dozen people have been killed in Cancun.

Authorities announced that they will meet soon with the state government and military leaders in order to discuss the strategies to combat organized crime in the area as well as agreeing to needed intelligence and preventive efforts.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-12-15

What a sad state of affairs - drugs are the scourge of modern society.