11 people and armor-clad monkey killed in cartel shootout (PHOTO)

A police raid on a suspected gang hideout in Mexico last Tuesday resulted in a gun battle that left 11 suspects and a drug cartel mascot spider monkey dead, and two law enforcement officers injured. A large cache of military grade equipment – including assault rifles, tactical helmets, and bullet-proof vests – was seized during the raid.

Local authorities acknowledged killing the monkey during the raid, stating that the surviving suspects may be prosecuted for exotic animal trafficking, among other charges. “A primate was killed at the scene, which was presumably owned by a criminal who was also killed at the scene,” state prosecutors said in a statement.

Graphic images online show the slain monkey lying atop a body of its presumed owner, who appeared to be wearing a plastic bucket on his head. The monkey was donning a diaper, a camouflaged hoodie, and a bullet-proof vest at the time of its death. It was not immediately clear whether the vest actually provided any protection or was merely a prop.

The bizarre affair promptly went viral on social media, with the cartel monkey even getting its very own narcocorrido song. Narcocorridos – a sub-genre of regional Mexican corrido ballads – glorify the drug trade and criminal lifestyle, and often commemorate prominent cartel figures.