A US fugitive has shot and killed a Mexican police officer within the elite worldwide liaison unit – often called “the Gringo Hunters” – which specialises in arresting US residents on the run in Mexico.
Mexico has lengthy been seen as a spot to flee US regulation enforcement. The Gringo Hunters was arrange in 2002 to cooperate with US authorities, and have since arrested greater than 1,600 fugitives.
These have included former Playboy fashions, Catholic monks {and professional} athletes, amongst fraudsters, murderers and paedophiles. The Gringo Hunters study to identify the telltale indicators of an American in Mexico, from stilted Spanish to a prediction for flip flops.
This time members of the unit had been attempting to arrest a suspect within the border metropolis of Tijuana on Wednesday when the person opened hearth, hitting Abigail Esparza Reyes, the 33-year-old chief of the unit within the state of Baja California.
Native media have reportedly recognized the suspect as César Hernández, 34, who in December escaped from state jail in US, the place he was serving a life sentence for homicide.
Hernández’s escape made information on the time with video footage exhibiting him sprinting throughout a discipline in an orange bounce go well with with an officer in pursuit.
Months later, the Gringo Hunters allegedly tracked him all the way down to the Colonia Barcelona neighbourhood, about 30 miles from the border, and carried out an operation on Wednesday to arrest him however had been met with bullets.
Esparza Reyes was hit and pronounced lifeless at a hospital.
Dozens of Mexican safety forces from all three ranges authorities, backed up with drones and a helicopter, then pursued the suspect to a home.
Nonetheless, Hernández managed to flee their cordon and flee the scene.
Native media reported that he managed to take action whereas working virtually bare by the streets, earlier than ducking below a tarp over a automobile and rising wearing a fluorescent inexperienced uniform, much like ones utilized by transport police, earlier than strolling away.
The suspect is at giant and the manhunt continues.
The state governor, Marina del Pilar, posted on social media to precise her remorse over the loss of life of Esparza Reyes, who had led greater than 400 operations to arrest US fugitives in Mexico.
“Abigail’s life will probably be honoured and her loss of life is not going to go unpunished,” wrote del Pilar.