13 teenagers shot dead as gunmen burst into party in Mexico border city

[FarCenter]

• Further 17 wounded in what neighbours believe was case of mistaken identity
• Attack adds to 16,000 killings in war between government and drug cartels

Jo Tuckman in Mexico City - guardian.co.uk, Monday 1 February 2010

A gang of heavily armed men stormed a party inside a house in the border city of Ciudad Juárez killing 13 teenagers in the early hours of yesterday morning. A ­further 17 young people were injured in the attack, which was apparently a mistaken drugs hit.

The gunmen arrived in a convoy of up to seven 4x4s, according to local reports. While some gunmen closed off surrounding streets, others burst into the party and started shooting to kill.

There were conflicting reports as to whether the victims were celebrating victory in a local American Football championship, or had gathered to watch a boxing match. It was unclear last night as to why they were targeted, but it was immediately assumed the attack was by one of the drug trafficking gangs struggling for supremacy in the city.

"The men were well-armed. They went into the house and shot at everyone, you could hear the gunfire all around," a neighbour said.

Army spokesman Enrique Torres said the dead were from 15 to 20 years old, and an additional 17 party-goers were wounded, some critically. "They were about 15 men, they closed off the surrounding streets and began shooting at the house as they moved inside," he said.

Witnesses of the slaughter told the Associated Press they thought those behind the attack were acting on false information.

"It must have been a huge mistake," said Martha Lujan, who lives nearby.

<SNIP>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/01/13-teenagers-killed-mexico-gunmen-drug-cartels

[Systematic Chaos]

1. And as Mexican oil production continues to fall, it's only gonna get worse.

It's going to affect the US exponentially more, too.

:(

[Fumesucker]

3. And as the drug war continues and escalates it's only gonna get worse..

And the drug war is to a big extent driven by US policy and has been for seventy years now.

[Systematic Chaos]

5. Thanks, but I skipped over the obvious and went with something equally insidious,

but rarely discussed.

[Fumesucker]

6. Eh, you have to beat people about the head and shoulders with the bleeding obvious..

The drug war is so ingrained in the American psyche now that most of us cannot imagine life without it, I see evidence of this nearly every day even here on DU.

We have a long way yet to fall and there are more than just a few reasons for the plunge but some of those reasons have greater impact than others.

[krispos42]

2. Oh, man... that is one organized hit.

Can't even imagine this happening here. :scared:

[Fumesucker]

4. It's happened in the past and will happen again..

It's only a matter of time..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine's_Day_massacre

The Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the murder of seven people as part of a Prohibition Era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago, Illinois, in 1929: the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capone and the North Side Irish gang led by Bugs Moran. Former members of the Egan's Rats gang were also suspected to have played a large role in the St. Valentine's Day massacre, assisting Capone.

[Skittles]

7. heart-breaking and outrageous

:cry: