A tragic incident unfolded in Mexico City on Monday, as masked gunmen targeted a Toluca market, resulting in the loss of nine lives, according to authorities, AP reports.

Prosecutors revealed that the assailants arrived at the scene, opening fire before dousing a section of the market with a flammable substance and setting it ablaze.

Following the attack, the perpetrators swiftly fled the area. While three deceased individuals are believed to be minors, official identifications are still pending.

Authorities are investigating private security guards' conduct, as they are suspected of abandoning their assigned posts during the attack.

No group or organization has immediately claimed responsibility for this violent act in Toluca, located approximately 60 kilometers (40 miles) west of Mexico City.

Toluca serves as the capital of the State of Mexico and is considered part of the metropolitan area surrounding the national capital.

With nearly a million residents, the city sees many individuals commuting to Mexico City for employment.

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Familia Michoacana Drug Cartel Appears To Be Responsible for the Crime

The incident involving the attack on the Toluca market reflects a broader pattern of violence and criminal activities in the region, per Al Jazeera.

Historically, gangs have targeted public markets in Mexico to extort vendor protection payments.

However, recent fires have also been linked to vendor disputes regarding market stall placement.

This attack follows a string of violent incidents in Toluca, including discovering two dismembered bodies just last week.

The bodies were accompanied by signs indicating the involvement of the Familia Michoacana drug cartel, which originated in the neighboring state of Michoacan in the early 2000s.

Although the cartel has faced significant pressure and displacement from its home state, it has re-established a presence in the State of Mexico and the neighboring southern state of Guerrero.

This resurgence has led to an ongoing territorial conflict with other criminal groups, resulting in a wave of violence in the region.

Violence Spreads in Chilpancingo

The recent attack on the Toluca market coincides with disturbing reports from Guerrero, where four taxi drivers were tragically shot and killed over the weekend, with one of their vehicles set ablaze in and around the state capital of Chilpancingo, ABC News noted.

Chilpancingo had previously witnessed a gruesome incident of drug gang violence in late June, where parts of seven dismembered bodies were callously left on a downtown street, accompanied by a threatening message from a criminal organization.

The situation in Chilpancingo remained tense on Monday as hundreds of protesters from a neighboring town converged on the city.

Their primary demand was the release of fellow residents who had been detained on drug-related charges. During their demonstration, the protesters briefly obstructed the main highway connecting Mexico City and Acapulco, as reported by prosecutors.

Disturbing video footage broadcast by local TV stations revealed that the protesters seized control of a police armored truck, which they then employed to forcibly breach the gates of the state congress building.

It should be noted that legislators were not present for a session at that time.

Guerrero continues to be embroiled in a violent territorial dispute involving the Familia Michoacana cartel and several other criminal gangs.

One of these groups is suspected of being responsible for the recent killings in Chilpancingo.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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