Dozens of inmates escape from Mexican prison after gun attack kills at least 14
At least 14 people, including 10 guards, died Sunday in a gun attack on a prison in Ciudad Juarez, at the border with the United States, during which at least 24 detainees escaped. At the same time, according to the authorities of the state of Chihuahua, several people were injured. The attack took place on the morning of January 1, when gunmen arrived in armoured vehicles and opened fire on prison guards. At the time of the attack, the families of the inmates were waiting to enter the prison to visit their relatives.
"They came with armoured vehicles and fired in the direction of the kitchen. Many family members stayed here to spend New Year's Eve. There are many people there, but also dead. They shot there and killed many guards. I'm waiting for them to give me information about my grandchildren."
Mexican soldiers and police only regained control of the prison towards the end of the day. According to the first information, the aim of the attack was to facilitate the escape of a group of prisoners.
"They managed to escape 24 prisoners, ten guards and four other prisoners died. Other details of the investigation will be communicated later by the Secretary of Public Security. There were some clashes in the city that coincided with this escape, three criminals also died," said Perez Cuellar, the municipal president of Ciudad Juarez.
Violence is common in northern Mexico and in prisons in the area. Shortly before the attack, municipal police detained four men after a chase, and later, law enforcement officers killed two gunmen travelling in an SUV. The prison in Ciudad Juarez houses members of the Sinaloa and Juarez cartels, which have been fighting for more than 15 years for control of the city.
