Friday, July 9, 2010

The Beat: New Outrages, Five Adolescents Shot

Yes, the beat goes on. The body count for executions this year stands today at 1461, on pace to beat last year's record. Six persons were killed yesterday (Wednesday), including a man left with a "narcomessage" on his chest. His body was found at about 11 p.m. last night. A plastic bag was tied over his head with a ribbon, and a brick of marijuana was left on his stomach. His feet were tied together with a yellow cord. There were signs of torture and three nine mm spent cartridges close by.

On Wednesday afternoon a group of armed men went into a quiet residential street and shot at a group of adolescents on the street. Four were killed; another survived and is in stable condition. According to the Diario report the target may have been a 17-year old youth, Carlos Martínez Hernández, leader of a street gang known as "Base Instincts 1 (Bajos Instintos 1). It is believed the killing was set off by a rivalry between street gangs. With these killings the total number of persons under 18 killed so far this year is 80.

The sixth man killed yesterday was Ignacio Prado Velázquez, 24, who was killed at about 5:30 p.m. inside a tire repair shop, El Tractor. Thirty six spent 9 mm. cartridges were found nearby.

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