Mexican soldier killed in Reynosa street shootout

REYNOSA - A Mexican army soldier was killed and four others were wounded in a shootout between a military convoy and a group of armed subjects late Tuesday night, according to Mexican media reports.

The gunfire broke out before midnight near the Villa Florida colonia in Reynosa, where soldiers were surveying the neighborhood, according to El Universal, a Mexico City-based newspaper. Several witnesses said they suddenly heard a shooting and a chase that ended near Clavelín Colorines and the Fraccionamiento that cuts across the city's south side.

One soldier died at the scene of the shooting and four others were wounded. They were taken to the hospital for treatment, while other Mexican army and air force personnel surrounded a three-block perimeter to prevent access to the area.

It is unknown whether anyone was killed or injured in the opposing group because the military kept local media outlets away from the crime scene, according to El Universal. A late-model Dodge Ram pickup truck crashed against a wall in front of a residence, which prompted the soldiers to draw their arms.

A dead soldier was pulled from a military humvee and his body remained at the scene for several hours. State police deferred the investigation to federal officers, who reportedly did not arrive at the crime scene for several hours.

Mexican military authorities have yet to release any information about Tuesday's melee in the streets of Reynosa. Soldiers remain stationed at a local hospital where the wounded soldiers continue to recover.
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Translated from El Universal newspaper by Monitor staff writer Jared Taylor.