Assassination attempt against Coahuila’s Secretary of Public Security in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico fails
According to Mexican press reports, an assassination attempt against the State of Coahuila”s Secretary of Public Security, Gerardo Villarreal Rios, on Saturday, February 9, 2013, at approximately 3:00 p.m. in downtown Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico failed as members of the State of Coahuila Special Armed and Tactical Forces (GATES) escorting the state-owned armored vehicle repelled an ambush gun fire attack by armed civilians. The Coahuila Secretary of Public Security was not traveling in the state-armored vehicle but rather a daughter of his who was visiting her maternal grandparents in Piedras Negras, Coahuila. The Coahuila Secretary of Public Security was in Saltillo, Coahuila, the state capitol, at the time of the attack on his armored vehicle and daughter.
The surprise attack occurred in the very busy downtown section of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, at the intersection of Xicotencatl and Galeana streets, only a few blocks from the City of Eagle Pass, Texas International Bridge Number One, during broad daylight as Piedras Negrans were enjoying a beautiful sunny and tranquil Saturday afternoon.
A red code alert went out immediately activating the Mexican Army forces and the Mexican Navy Marines special forces to search and find the armed civilians who perpetrated this surprise attack against the armored vehicle of the Coahuila Secretatry of Public Security and his security team. The Secretary’s security team repelled the attack with fierce and intense gun fire causing the perpetrators to flee the scene of the attack. The Mexican Navy marines called one of their helicopters to assist the search of the perpetrators but were not found. The Navy helicopter received heavy gunfire from armed civilians on the ground. All Mexican law enforcement authorities and military forces were placed on high alert and requested to search for the perpetrators to no avail.
The Coahuila Secretary of Public Security daughter was unharmed in the surprise attack and no injuries were reported.
American law enforcement authorities were also placed on high alert in Eagle Pass, Texas to prevent the violence from crossing into the United States.
On Sunday, February 10, 2013, a mobile convoy of Coahuila Special Armed and Tactical Forces while on patrol and traveling on Highway 57 enroute from Allende, Coahuila to Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila were ambushed by armed civilians after sustaining flat tires on their vehicles and responded with automatic weapons gunfire killing three armed civilians. This incident occurred at Kilometer 23 of Highway 57, only 10.5 miles from the Piedras Negras, Coahuila and Eagle Pass, Texas on the United States-Mexico border.
