Mexico Shooting: At Least 19 Killed In Shootout In Michoacan State

According to local media, gunmen swooped down on an illegal cockfighting pit in the town of Las Tinajas and started the fire.

Representational Image. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: Officials say at least 19 people were killed in an armed attack in the western Mexican state of Michoacán.

According to local media, gunmen swooped down on an illegal cockfighting pit in the town of Las Tinajas and started the fire, BBC reported.

The motivation for the attack is unknown, however, the area is home to a variety of criminal organisations.

Bloody attacks on rival gatherings have grown more prevalent.

In recent months, shooters in various parts of Mexico have targeted funerals and wakes, as well as bars and clubs, in an attempt to kill as many of their opponents as possible at the same time.

According to forensic specialists, all of the deceased at Las Tinajas - 16 men and three women - were killed by gunshots. A number of individuals have been hurt as well.

According to witnesses, the attackers fired indiscriminately before leaving in separate automobiles. Hundreds of gunfire can be heard ringing out in a clip published by local news site Red Michoacán.

Soldiers have been dispatched to track down the assailants.

A variety of gangs fight over the territory near Las Tinajas, transporting stolen fuel and illegally tapping petrol pipes controlled by the state-run oil firm.

Years of bloodshed have erupted in Michoacan and neighbouring Guanajuato, fueled by persistent territory fights between rival gangs.

Last month, up to 17 people were slain in an attack at a wake in Michoacan, which was suspected to be the consequence of a gang feud, Al Jazeera reported.

According to deputy security minister Ricardo Mejia, the attack was motivated by "revenge" by one cell of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel against another.

The authorities, on the other hand, stated it was unable to confirm the death toll since no remains had been discovered. At the scene, DNA samples from 11 potential victims were obtained.