Mexican Army Investigated After Highway Shooting Leaves Six Civilians Dead
REYNOSA, Mexico – Mexican authorities have launched an investigation after soldiers shot and killed six civilians on a highway in the state of Tamaulipas, the Attorney General’s office confirmed to AFP. The incident, wich occured while troops were traveling on a highway, has sparked renewed scrutiny of the Mexican military’s conduct amid ongoing violence in the region and previous accusations of extrajudicial killings.
The shooting underscores the escalating security challenges facing Tamaulipas, a border state plagued by cartel activity and violence against both civilians and government officials. The incident comes just months after four Mexican soldiers were sentenced to 40 years in prison for the 2023 killing of five civilians in Nuevo Laredo, highlighting a rare instance of accountability within the military. This latest event raises concerns about potential abuses of power and the safety of civilians caught in the crossfire of Mexico’s ongoing security crisis.
According to a statement from the defense ministry, the soldiers involved were traveling when a white pickup truck allegedly “tried to ram” one of their vehicles. Troops responded by “using their weapons,” resulting in the deaths of five civilians at the scene and one more en route to a hospital. The soldiers have been placed under investigation, officials said.
The violence in Tamaulipas is driven by disputes between rival factions vying for control of drug trafficking, human smuggling, and fuel theft, particularly in cities like Reynosa. In August, investigators attributed the killing of Ernesto Vásquez Reyna, the Attorney General’s Office Tamaulipas state delegate, to organized crime, likely in retaliation for recent fuel seizures.
Further illustrating the region’s instability, the bodies of five musicians from a Mexican regional music group were discovered in Reynosa in May. Nine arrests were made in connection with the case, with prosecutors identifying the suspects as members of the Gulf Cartel.
