TEXCALTITLAN, MX – A violent confrontation erupted in a rural farming community in central Mexico, resulting in the death of eleven individuals, according to local authorities. The deadly clash took place on Friday between local residents and members of a criminal organization.
The incident was captured in a dramatic video that was shared on social media platforms. The footage showcased villagers, armed with scythes and hunting rifles, and dressed in cowboy attire, pursuing suspected gang members as automatic gunfire echoed in the background.
The confrontation happened in the small hamlet of Texcaltitlan, located in the State of Mexico, approximately 80 miles southwest of Mexico City. State police reported that the majority of the fatalities were gang members, with eight killed, while the remaining three were villagers.
Although the gang involved was not officially identified by the police, the notorious Familia Michoacana drug cartel, which has held sway over the region for over ten years, is suspected to be involved.
Local news outlets reported that the Familia Michoacana had previously approached the village, demanding that farmers pay an extortion fee per acre. The cartel’s history of extorting money from both legal and illegal businesses, and resorting to violence when their demands are not met, is well-documented.
The Familia Michoacana is infamous for its audacious attacks on law enforcement, and for the massacre of 20 townspeople, including the mayor and his father, in the neighboring town of Totolapan in 2022.