An unknown number of men reportedly began shooting at a Mexican military helicopter and three of the assailants were shot dead near the Texas border. The incident occurred on April 18 in Tamaulipas, Mexico, according to Sergio Chapa of ValleyCentral.com. The Mexican state of Tamaulipas borders a portion of the Texas border with Mexico.
Pilots in the helicopter were initially patrolling the area when they saw two vehicles.
Soon thereafter, individuals in the vehicles began shooting at the helicopter, according to the Tamaulipas Attorney General’s Office and Chapa’s report. Armed military members aboard the helicopter fired back at the vehicles, killing three men.
Several non-injured gunmen immediately fled the scene–the exact number of individuals in the two cars is unknown at this time. The three deceased gunmen have not yet been identified, according to Chapa, but officials estimate the individuals are all between 25 and 30 years old.
A Chevrolet containing an AK-47 assault rifle was allegedly found at the scene of the shooting.
Though such incidents of violence taking place near the U.S. border with Mexico are common, an attack on a military helicopter echoes a previous report from Breitbart News on the nature of the various cartels’ conflict with the Mexican government. In that report titled, “Mexican Officer: Military at War with Cartels in Nuevo Laredo,” Breitbart Texas’ managing director, Brandon Darby, traveled into the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo and spoke with military. They described a situation far from law enforcement versus criminal, but rather a military conflict.
Darby wrote, “The officer did not speak in law enforcement terms but instead used military terms. It grew clear that the troubles facing Mexico had progressed from ‘criminal’ to ‘fighting a well-armed insurgency’.”
The article has been updated.
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