Mexican officials say shootout suspects from Gulf cartel

By Jessica Bernstein-Wax

ASSOCIATED PRESS

9:45 p.m. January 8, 2008

MEXICO CITY – Three U.S. residents and seven others linked to the powerful Gulf drug cartel were arrested following a deadly shootout just across the border from Texas, Mexican officials said Tuesday

The gunfire, which left three people dead, broke out around noon Monday when Mexican federal agents chased a van full of people carrying assault weapons in the town of Rio Bravo, across the border from Donna, Texas, according to a government statement.

The army and federal police sent reinforcements after the suspects took shelter and began detonating grenades, Federal Public Safety assistant secretary Jose Patricio Patino told reporters Tuesday.

“The armed group that clashed with federal agents yesterday belonged to a cell of the Gulf cartel,” Patino said.

Witnesses described a frightening scene with gunmen breaking down doors and positioning themselves inside homes for the gunbattle, which took place in front of the Rio Bravo police station, The McAllen Monitor reported.

Three suspected criminals were killed in the shootout, and five soldiers and five federal police officers were injured.