Police: One in custody, two injured after cartel shooting near McAllen Walmart
Comments 51 | Recommend 12
March 15, 2010 7:03 AM
Jared Taylor

McALLEN — Police have detained one man suspected of a drug cartel-related kidnapping and shooting near a Walmart store Sunday night.

Two men were shot and possibly kidnapped during the incident, which occurred about 10:30 p.m. Sunday near the 1200 block of Jackson Avenue, said McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez.

"We're still piecing together information," Rodriguez said. "It appears to obviously be organized crime."

Investigators believe the two men voluntarily left with the suspected kidnappers in a Chevrolet Tahoe at the parking lot outside Walmart on the 1200 block of Jackson Avenue.

When one of the men worried he was being held against his will, he bailed out of the SUV and was shot, the chief said. He then fled to a nearby Med-Care EMS ambulance facility, which reported the incident to police.

The other victim was left near a canal close to the intersection of McColl and El Rancho Roads, police said.

"We suspect cartel activity by some or all of the persons we're looking at right now," Rodriguez said. "We don't know the motive at this point in time."

One of the victims remains hospitalized, while the other has been treated and released.

The suspect in custody has not yet been arrested, Rodriguez said, but possible charges in the case include attempted capital murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery. Police continue to look for other suspects possibly involved and investigate the incident.

>> Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call McAllen Crime Stoppers at (956) 687-8477.


http://www.themonitor.com/news/mcallen- ... artel.html