5 die, 2 injured in Mexican army-gangsters shootout

MEXICO CITY. November 23. KAZINFORM Five civilians died, one was arrested and two soldiers were injured in a gunfight between government troops and suspected gangsters in the Mexican Pacific coast state of Nayarit, Mexican broadcaster Milenio reported on Monday; Kazinform refers to China Daily.

The shootout took place in the center of Tepic, the capital of Nayarit,Sunday night when soldiers began chasing a vehicle with alleged gangsters aboard.

The gunfire sent passersby, shop owners and stallkeepers fleeing for their lives. The soldiers finally catched up with the vehicle at the crossroads of Diamante and Plomo streets, where they found five of the six on board dead.

The bodies were carried to the State Attorney's Medical Forensic Service for identification. Those injured were taken to a city centre hospital. Following the incident, six guns and three vehicles were seized by the army.

State police have sealed eight buildings across the city and up to 60 investigators are seeking information on smuggling activity at these locations; Kazinform cites China Daily.

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