MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Three federal police officers died in a shootout with suspected drug traffickers a t Mexico City’s airport yesterday, as panicked travellers scrambled to take cover amid the latest sign of encroaching violence in the country’s capital.
The police moved to detain drug suspects in the airport’s Terminal 2 but were attacked, the security ministry said in a statement. Two agents were killed at the terminal and another died of his injuries after being taken to the hospital.
“When the alleged perpetrators were surrounded by the police, shots were fired against the federal agents,” the statement said. A police spokesman said he could not comment when asked if there had been any arrests.
Television footage showed a body lying on the floor in what appeared to be a publicly accessible area of the airport.
More than a dozen shots were heard, prompting many people to seek shelter in fast-food restaurants in the busy facility, Milenio Television reported.
