Pubdate: Mon, 11 Jan 2010
Source: El Paso Times (TX)
Copyright: 2010 El Paso Times
Contact: http://www.elpasotimes.com/formnewsroom
Website: http://www.elpasotimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829
Author: Daniel Borunda, Staff Writer

SLAYINGS, ARRESTS MOUNT IN JUAREZ

Four men were shot and killed early Sunday outside a bar in downtown
Juarez during another violent weekend in the most dangerous city in
Mexico.

The men were attacked shortly after midnight by gunmen who fired 26
rounds outside Eduardo's bar at Mariscal and Ignacio Mejia streets,
Chihuahua state police said.

Police said one of the slain men was 22-year-old Victor Romero Ruiz,
but the other three victims had yet to be identified.

The group was among more than 30 people killed since Friday, including
two men who whose bodies were mutilated. Friday had 18 homicides,
placing it among the deadliest days since a drug cartel war began in
January 2008.

On Saturday afternoon, a shootout between Mexican military police and
gang members left two men dead.

Military officials said the confrontation began when a military patrol
en route to a just-committed murder saw the suspected killers' car in
colonia Insurgentes in west Juarez.

During a vehicle pursuit, the car's occupants shot at the soldiers,
who returned fire and killed the two men. Ricardo Corrales, 25, died
in the car and Humberto Dominguez, 30, died while being transported to
a hospital. Two 9-mm handguns were found in the car. The men were
members of the Aztecas gang, military officials said.

In other news, federal police recently announced the arrest of a
suspected hit man for the Juarez drug cartel accused in 25 murders
since last year.

Jesus Efrain Aranda Arreola, who is also suspected of selling
rock-cocaine on public bus routes, is allegedly part of a cartel hit
cell known as Babicoras. Joint Operation Chihuahua officials said
Aranda, 27, works for a man identified as Diego, El Blablazo or El
10.

Federal police also arrested Angel Alfonso "El Cacheton" Rodriguez
Delgado, 19, and Felipe Antonio "Enano" Enriquez, 29, who are both are
suspected members of the Artistas Asesinos (Artist Assassins) gang
accused of killing three members of the Juarez cartel.

As of Sunday evening, nearly 90 people had been murdered in the Juarez
area since the start of the new year, according to information
provided by the state prosecutor's office. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr