Mexico Border Prison Attack Kills 14, Allows 24 Juarez Prison Inmates to Escape
Ten guards and four prisoners were killed early on Sunday morning when gunmen in armored trucks stormed a state prison in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, just across the border from El Paso, Texas, state officials confirm. Thirteen other inmates were injured.
According to a statement released by the state prosecutor's office in Chihuahua, armed men came in armored vehicles to the prison at around 7 a.m. and began firing on guards.
The Associated Press noted that at least 24 convicts managed to break out of the prison.
Late on Sunday, the Mexican army and state police retook the facility.
Officials from the state attorney general's office have stated that they are looking into the Mexico border prison attack.
Four Suspects Arrested, Two Killed Following Mexico Border Prison Attack
According to the attorney general's office, the escape occurred after a brutal attack on the jail by gunmen who came in bulletproof trucks to strike security officers.
Authorities reported that inmates fled while law enforcement and suspects engaged in gunfights in the city streets.
A short time after the prison breach, municipal police personnel in Juárez were attacked on Manuel Gómez Morn Avenue.
According to El Paso Times, authorities arrested four individuals after a high-speed chase that began with an attack involving a Ford Expedition.
Another attempt on Panamericana Avenue was stopped by law enforcement, and two suspects in a Hummer were killed.
Officials said that the prison had been retaken by state police, the Mexican army, and the National Guard by noon and that an investigation was ongoing.
The authorities have declared a "maximum alert" status following the Mexico border prison attack.
The Most Notorious Juarez Prison
The Cereso state prison in Juarez is home to one of the most hazardous prisons in Latin America.
Brutal riots are common in this Juarez prison, which killed 20 in 2009 and 17 in 2011, per NPR.
In August, a gang brawl in prison resulted in the deaths of three inmates, prompting the intervention of the Mexican army and the National Guard.
Visitors reported hearing gunfire as families, including children, fled for safety during a family visiting hour when the chaos broke out.
According to a statement released by the state's attorney general's office, a fight broke out in one wing of the prison at 1 p.m.
Soldiers from the Mexican armed forces, National Guard troops, and state and local police were called in to help the jail staff retake the compound, El Paso Times reported.
Law enforcement officials stayed at the location of the incident to maintain order while an investigation was conducted.
There has been a rise in murders in Juárez prisons, including beheadings and dismemberments, which are said to be related to rivalries between criminal gangs, contributing to the recent bloodshed.
Government officials have reported that the Mexicles, a notorious Mexico crime group, operate the facility.
Prison inmates, according to authorities, have plotted and directed attacks on the city of Juárez throughout the years.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Bert Hoover
WATCH: 14 dead, 24 inmates escaped Cereso after riot New Year's Day 5P - From KVIA ABC-7
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