Authorities release details on Reynosa street battle

REYNOSA — The Mexican army has arrested seven men following a violent street battle here Saturday afternoon.

The first confrontation began about 1 p.m. near the intersection of Acapulco and Paraguay boulevards in the colonia Ladrillera Mexicana when army personnel approached a group of armed men traveling in a white SUV, according to a statement issued Tuesday afternoon by the Mexican Defense Ministry.

When the SUV’s occupants saw the military convoy approaching, the driver attempted to flee. As the driver sped away, the SUV barreled into another vehicle, and the SUV’s occupants attempted to take the vehicle’s passengers by force, the statement said. Several unknown people began to fire shots at the SUV’s occupants, apparently attempting to free the besieged group.

Soldiers arrested the following men at the location:

>> Felipe Crecencio Uresti Mora, 21, of Matamoros.

>> Gustavo Pérez Herrera, 22, of Reynosa.

>> Alfredo Monroy Torres, 40, of Tampico.

>> Fernando Rodríguez Reyes, 42, of Minatitlan, Ver.

The army seized three AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, an Uzi submachine gun, and a 9 mm handgun. Authorities recovered 779 rounds of ammunition and 30 ammunition clips. The SUV, a white 2007 Chevrolet Suburban, was also seized. It bore Tamaulipas license plates and had not been reported stolen.

Meanwhile, a group of drivers barricaded Boulevard Morelos in the colonia Granjas Económicas, shooting at those attempting to cross, according to the Defense Ministry statement.

Army personnel at that scene arrested:

>> José Luís Martínez Rivera, 18, of San Luís Potosí.

>> Edgar Melgoza López, 19, of Reynosa.

>> José Amauri Jiménez Gómez, 21, of Naranjos, Ver.

Officials there seized about 73 grams of cocaine, 46 grams of crack and 400 grams of marijuana. Soldiers also found a shotgun, a pistol, a revolver, 360 rounds of ammunition and two Motorola Nextel radio communication devices.

The men, drugs, weapons and ammunition were transferred to the appropriate authorities, the news release states.

Authorities did not disclose whether anyone was injured during the shootouts, but Mexican media reported Saturday that one soldier had been wounded. News Web site www.MetroNoticias.com.mx reported that the shooting resulted in damage to the front of a Carl's Jr. restaurant as well as to nearby vehicles and a traffic light.

Monitor attempts to reach authorities in Mexico were unsuccessful.

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.