Social Media Reports On Shootouts in Nochistlán, Zacatecas

Translated by Valor for Borderland Beat

Dozens of citizens and neighbors of the municipality of Nochistlán de Mejía, located at 224 kilometers south of the capital of Zacatecas reported on a violent shootout through various social networks that lasted for several hours during the early hours of Wednesday without the authorities having so far issued an official communication in regards to the incident.

Various videos and messages of the citizenship recorded the events where strong machinegun bursts can be heard throughout various parts of the area where the presence of armed groups in the area has been denounced.

The “magical town” of Nochistlán has been a disputed area of alleged members of organized crime who are fighting for the drug trafficking corridor bordering both the north and northwest with the municipality of Jalapa, south with Yahualica in Jalisco, to the east with Apulco, to the west of the municipalities of Juchipila and Apozol, to the north and northeast with Teocaltiche in Jalisco and finally to the south bordering with the municipality of Mezticacán, also located in Jalisco.

Neighbors of the area alerted on the presence of trucks with armed men on board moving throughout highways and roads as well as in the urban area of Nochistlán.

Source: ZHN

“Video 2: Shootout some moments ago in Nochistlán, the following video shows the northern outskirts of the municipality as the two convoys of armed subjects attacked each other.”

Additional Videos:

 
“Video 3: Strong shootout in Nochistlán.  This video was recorded by other villagers who recorded the impressive shootout, allegedly between the CDG and the CDN, from their homes.  Hundreds of armed people were involved as well as armored vehicles of all types, mostly trucks.”

“Video 4: This is how more convoys of hitmen and narcos entered Nochistlán to continue the strong shootout that they carried out, groups of convoys were between groups of 9 to 20 trucks in different groups and between 10 and 15 vehicles among other convoys that laid siege to Nochistlán in order to carry out a strong battle presumably between the CDN and CDG.”

“Video 5: The Nochistlán shootout lasted for 30 minutes and authorities never arrived.  After almost an hour, they began to arrive to the municipality, in some streets citizens reported people in trucks killed by gunshots, some exposing themselves thinking that it was finished, going outside to take photos and videos of those executed but they immediately took shelter.  CDG and CDN sicarios (although in the area, the CJNG and the Sinaloa [Cartel] may have also been involved as they also operate in the region) fought each other and used: grenades, AK-47’s, AR-15’s,M-17’s, Barrett .50 caliber, sub machine guns, machine guns, as well as hand guns.  It was a real armed confrontation that had never occurred in that municipality.”

“Video 6: Nochistlán lived its worst shootout in history and in previous confrontations had never overcome this bloody shootout and confrontation on April 18, 2017.  It is said that the worst place was opposite the ISSSTE (Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers) near the secondary school, there are several sicarios in various convoys that faced each other leaving several executed and trucks shot up.  Some sicarios picked up their own casualties to take them, in front of the ISSSTE, at least six houses were left shot up as well as at least eight vehicles, inside the houses, some had water pipe damage which led to houses being flooded.  After about 80 minutes, authorities arrived.  Sicarios continued the shootout on roads outside the municipality.”