2 Juárez municipal police officers shot, gravely injured in attack

By Alejandro Martínez-Cabrera / EL PASO TIMES
Posted: 02/09/2012 12:05:06 PM MST

JUAREZ -- Two municipal police officers were shot and gravely injured Thursday morning in the latest attack against the city's police force.

The two officers, whose identities haven't been released, were attacked while on patrol by unknown assailants around 8 a.m. in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata, on the city's west side.

The officers were transported to the Poliplaza Médica hospital, which was put under tight security. Their current condition is unknown.

Municipal police officials did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

More than 20 municipal and state police units were deployed to the crime scene, where dozens of bullet casings were recovered.

The attack follows a wave of police slayings that began in January. Eight municipal police officers have been killed in different incidents so far.

Last month about 10 banners appeared in different parts of the city, threatening Juárez Police Chief Julián Leyzaola with killing a police agent every day.

The messages were allegedly signed by members of the so-called New Juárez Cartel, believed to be a spin off of the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Cartel.

Alejandro Martínez-Cabrera can be reached at a.martinez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6129.

2 Juárez municipal police officers shot, gravely injured in attack - El Paso Times