Violence in Old Town and on the Costera

(Acapulco, NA 29 April) Yesterday four persons were killed in “hits” as part of the drug turf wars. This time there were two killings in the “Las Playas” neighborhood, near Playa Angosta. Around 6:00 am gunmen killed Salvador Garduño Bermúdez on the sidewalk of a working class section of a side street near Adolfo López Mateos. The other took place higher up, near the Gran Vía Tropical, when presumably the same gunmen killed 14-year-old Alain Stephano de Dios Canales, using the same weapons. According to his mother, the victim had left home three months ago and was allegedly involved with drug use and distribution.

In another incident in a notoriously dangerous part of downtown took place around 1:30 in the afternoon, when a young man was shot by pistols and an AK-47. Several gunmen exited their cars at Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (the “Via Rápida”) where it intersects with Vasco Núñez de Balboa, and chased down the youth to deprive him of his life. The corner has long been considered a dangerous intersection, where drug violence is common.

Around 6:00 pm another crime took place not far from the first one, in the road to Pie de la Cuesta, in the inbound lane, near the start of the red light district in downtown. One man was shot and killed; the other was wounded and taken to hospital. Once again the presumed motive was drug trafficking. Twenty-six shell casings of an AK-47 and 12 from a .9mm pistol were found at the scene.