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At least 11 killed as gunmen open fire at soccer field in central Mexico

A woman and a child were among those wounded in the ‘regrettable and cowardly’ attack

FILE - Municipal police officers patrol a neighborhood in Celaya, Guanajuato state, Mexico, Feb. 28, 2024
FILE - Municipal police officers patrol a neighborhood in Celaya, Guanajuato state, Mexico, Feb. 28, 2024 (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Armed attackers killed 11 people and injured 12 at a football field in the Mexican city of Salamanca after a match on Sunday, its mayor, Cesar Prieto, announced on Facebook. The motive for the deadly assault was not immediately clear.

A woman and a child were among those wounded in the "regrettable and cowardly" attack, which took place in the Loma de Flores community during a social gathering, Mr Prieto added. He described the incident as a "severe social breakdown."

"This incident adds to a wave of violence that we are sadly experiencing in the state, and particularly in Salamanca," he added. "Unfortunately, criminal groups are trying to subjugate the authorities, which they will not achieve."

An investigation has been launched into the attack, said the office of the attorney general in the state of Guanajuato, where Salamanca is located.

The Mexican city of Salamanca

The office was coordinating efforts with municipal, state and federal authorities to strengthen security in the area, protect its people and find the likely perpetrators, it added in a statement.

"Those responsible will be found," Prieto added in his Facebook remarks.

Guanajuato is one of the most dangerous states in Mexico.

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