A shooting at a busy nightclub in the Mexican town of Jerez left eight people dead and injured five, the police said Sunday. The incident took place late Friday night. Heavily armed men arrived at the bar in two vehicles, burst into the club and began shooting indiscriminately, a report from the Security Secretariat said.
Six people died on the spot and two more succumbed to the injuries at the hospital while being treated. Five people remain hospitalized for gunshot wounds. Local media reports said that victims included club employees, musicians and customers.
“The Jerez municipal authorities are deeply saddened by the painful events that took place in the last hours, and mayor José Humberto Salazar Contreras, expresses his solidarity with the families who have lost their relatives,” a statement by local authorities read.
It added that the Public Prosecution office has begun an investigation into the incident to determine the reason behind the shooting.
The bar, called “El Venadito,” is located in the center of Jerez, an area about 60 kilometers (36 miles) southwest of the state capital city of Zacatecas.
Jerez has seen a wave of violence in the last few years, forcing hundreds of residents of nearby rural communities to leave their homes.
Zacatecas is a part of the list of the 10 most problematic regions in Mexico. The state is a strategic point for the US-bound drug trade. Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa drug cartels have been at the center of violent disputes.
(With inputs from agencies)
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