Mexican villagers, gang battle; 14 die

MEXICO CITY — A clash between gunmen from a criminal gang and residents of a small farming community in central Mexico left 14 people dead, local authorities said Saturday. Seven others were injured and still being treated for their wounds.

Dramatic video of the fight Friday posted on social media showed villagers in cowboy hats with sickles and hunting rifles chasing down suspected gang members amid bursts of automatic gunfire.

Mexico State Gov. Delfina Gómez and other local leaders condemned the violence Saturday. They noted that the alarming flash of violence was a product of regional violence that has been slowly brewing for years. She assured locals that maintaining order was among her top priorities.

“These events do not paralyze us, on the contrary, they reaffirm our determination to improve security conditions in our beloved state, rest assured that we will continue working so that events like this are not repeated,” she said.

Police in the state of Mexico, which abuts Mexico City, said the clash occurred in the hamlet of Texcaltitlan, about 80 miles southwest of the capital.

Officials said 10 of the dead were members of the criminal gang, while four were village residents. Police did not identify the gang, but confirmed that the violent Familia Michoacana drug cartel has been dominant in that area for many years.

Local media said Familia Michoacana gunmen showed up in the village earlier demanding local farmers pay a per-acre extortion fee. Authorities did not immediately comment on that.