EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — Two Chihuahua state police officers plunged to their deaths when they came under attack Tuesday morning in the town of Moris.
Investigators say the officers were at the end of their shifts when they encountered what were only described as “armed civilians.”
During the clash, two officers died when their police unit went off the road and into a ravine. A third officer was shot and killed, state police say.
Four officers were injured, though the extent of their injuries is unknown.
Moris is located in the mountains of western Chihuahua, about 215 miles west of Chihuahua City. Photos of the scene show state police vehicles driving through a winding road in a steep mountainous area covered in trees.
In recent years, groups associated with the Sinaloa cartel and La Linea, or the old Juarez cartel, have been warring in that region.
Last week, Mexican authorities reported the seizure of an armored Ford F-450 truck with gunports and a machine gun capable of bringing down aircraft.
According to a news release from the Chihuahua State Police, Public Safety Director Gilberto Loya has called for a special operation in the area with support from the agency’s SWAT team and special forces, as well as the Mexican military and National Guard.
In a statement, the state police said it is committed to the safety of the people of Chihuahua and reiterated that “an attack against law enforcement will not go unpunished.”
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