REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — Cartel gunmen tried to ambush a convoy of police officers in this border city setting off a fierce gun battle that killed an innocent taco vendor, three gunmen, one police officer and injured two other cops. State authorities have confirmed the death of 25 individuals since rival factions of the Gulf Cartel went to war last week.

The fighting took place early Tuesday morning setting off the eighth day of gun battles in this city. Law enforcement officials confirmed to Breitbart Texas that the fighting took place along the Esfuerzo Nacional neighborhood on the city’s western side. The fighting began when three gunmen began to fire at a police convoy fatally injuring one of the officers and striking two others. Police officers fought off the attack and then chased the gunmen who tried to flee the are during a short chase. The fighting led to the shutdown of the highway that connects this border city with the industrial hub of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, one of the busiest avenues in the city. 

During the exchange of gunfire, a taco vendor was struck by a stray bullet and died at the scene. Tamaulipas government officials confirmed the five casualties, as well as the seizure of three rifles and two vehicles used in the firefight. As Breitbart Texas has been reporting, rival factions of the Gulf Cartel have been fighting for control of this border city setting off a series of daily gun battles where convoys of gunmen have been roaming the streets seeking out their rivals.

Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities.  The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “A.C. Del Angel” from Reynosa, Tamaulipas.