At least 11 people have died near the Mexican resort town of Acapulco following a series of gunfights between local residents, the self-appointed community militia and federal government forces.
The showdown in the La Concepcion farming community erupted Sunday morning after a group of armed men fired shots into the air during local celebrations. The self-appointed community police, or CRAC (Regional Coordinator of Community Authorities) rushed to the scene to disarm the group. Three gunmen were detained and taken to the police station along with another man who tried to urinate in front of the building.
A group of armed hooded men then descended on the precinct attempting to rescue them. This triggered a shootout between the armed civilians and the CRAC militia. At the end of the gunfight, eight people were left dead, including two community police officers.
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Shortly after 11am, the Mexican Army along with federal and state police forces arrived to restore order. This development sparked a new gunfight with the CRAC militia, where three members of the community police unit were shot dead for refusing to obey orders.
Federal officers arrested 30 community members, a spokesman for Attorney General Xavier Olea Pelaez told reporters. Security forces also secured 17 military-grade weapons and seized "582 doses" of marijuana, he said, without specifying the exact amount.