One person was killed, one severely injured, and a third was injured but was later discharged from the hospital after two grenades were hurled at a bench in front of the eighth District Court, on Christmas Eve. The spokesman for the State Attorney General (la Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado, the PGJE), José Larrinaga Talamantes, reported that in the last 48 hours there has been seven grenade explosions registered in the city of Obregón.
One of the explosions killed 52 year old Mario Alatorre Blancas and critically injured 49 year old Hernández Villa with fractures on the forearms and left leg, innocent bystanders, on Thursday night. Talamantes explained that at the time of the attack, at 19:30 hours, both individuals were leaving a reunion at a rehabilitation center near the Federal Building when the grenades exploded. It has been reported that both left the reunion to go outside and smoke.
Talamantes also noted that two individuals are responsible for launching the grenades but that authorities lack any other data on them.
According to official records by the police, there have also been at least 140 shootouts leaving four dead and one critically injured. In the aftermath of such violence Municipal authorities asked the public to stay home, unless absolutely necessary and the media launched a Public Security alert asking the commercial industry to close early. The same thing was done December 22nd of last year when five grenades where set off at distinct points.
Sources:
El Imparcial. “Lanzan 2 granadas en Cajeme; muere 1”. El Imparcial. December 26, 2009.
