Six people were killed in a violent shoot-out between organized criminal groups just south of the Texas-Mexico border, according to Border Report. The gun battles, which took place late Sunday and early Monday, spanned the municipalities of Ojinaga, Coyame, and Manuel Benavides in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, across the border from Presidio, Texas.
Chihuahua state police discovered four abandoned vehicles, including two with Texas license plates, and a burned-out vehicle at the scene. Law enforcement also recovered two AK-47 rifles, smoke grenades, and ammunition. Authorities reported finding four bodies in Ojinaga on Monday, and two additional bodies near Manuel Benavides later that day. The shoot-outs left one other person injured, according to police reports.
Ojinaga, the largest of the three towns, lies directly across from Presidio and has seen escalating violence in recent years. The area has become a battleground for control between rival cartels, La Linea and the Sinaloa Cartel, who seek to dominate lucrative migrant smuggling routes.
The region has experienced several high-profile violent incidents, including the 2021 disappearance of 13 Mexican migrants, 11 of whom were later found in a mass grave. Violence has continued, with state police and the Mexican army increasing their presence in an effort to stabilize the area.
The shooting follows another deadly incident over the weekend, when five people were killed at a quinceañera party in Juarez, Mexico, just across the border from El Paso, Texas. Chihuahua state authorities are investigating both incidents.
For further details, visit Border Report’s original coverage here.
Texas Reporter 