3 killed in prison riot in Mexico’s Juarez

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Aug 11 (EFE).- At lest three people were killed and several injured on Thursday in a riot inside a prison in Mexico’s Juarez, a city bordering the United States that witnesses high levels of violence, the public prosecutors of the state of Chihuahua said.

The incident took place in Juarez’s center for social reinsertion (penitentiary) number 3.

In a statement, the prosecutors’ office said that officers had subdued the riot that took place in an area of the prison, lead by inmates that were part of rival gangs.

The statement added that officers of the penitentiary security and custody force, municipal public security, state police, the state investigation agency, Mexican military and civil defense took part in the operation.

As per the preliminary report, around 1 pm, a riot broke out in one of the prison areas, led by “inmates that formed part of rival gangs.”

Subsequently, “three inmates were pronounced dead, due to which the forensic medical service has been alerted to determine the causes of death.”

The prosecutors’ office said that the personnel on the ground were committed to protecting the physical security of inmates as well as officials working in prisons.

The incident came on a day when four other people, employees of a radio company, were killed in broad daylight outside a pizza restaurant in Juarez, while several car service shops were set on fire, leading to gas stations, convenience stores and other establishments downing shutters for the day.

Juarez has repeatedly grabbed headlines for its street violence, and as many as 47 homicides were reported from the city within just the first 11 days of August. EFE

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