MONTERREY, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) — Five men have been arrested for their alleged role in last week’s casino attack in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey, killing 52 people, state governor Rodrigo Medina de la Cruz said on Monday.
The attack happened at around 3.45 p.m. local time on Thursday when a group of men carrying assault rifles and containers full of gas arrived at Monterrey’s Casino Royale. The men warned customers to exit the building before they set the casino on fire, but many people were unable to escape.
On Monday, Medina said five suspects have been arrested in connection with the deadly attack. He identified the suspects, who reportedly confessed, and presented two videos during a press conference.
The first video showed a truck arriving at a gas station near the casino after which demijohns filled it with fuel. The second video showed other vehicles arriving at the scene and driving towards the casino, where they used the fuel to cause the fire.
Governor Medina said fingerprints were found in one of the vehicles used in the attack, leading to the capture of one suspected assailant. Four others were later arrested. Some of the suspects were said to have criminal records, mostly for robbery, homicide and kidnapping.
Medina further said that authorities do not yet know how many people were involved in the attack, but a preliminary investigation suggests the attack targeted the casino and not civilians. A police operation is being carried out to find the whereabouts of other suspects.
Sources in the State of Nuevo León had previously said the suspects were part of the Los Zetas drug cartel. However, Governor Medina said it has not yet been determined to which gang the criminals belong to.
Thursday’s attack on Casino Royale was one the deadliest episodes of violence in Mexico’s recent history, which has been marked by waves of drug-related violence.
On Sunday, hundreds of people protested in the streets of Monterrey to urge an end to the violence and called for the resignation of the state governor. During the press conference held on Monday morning, Medina said he would not quit his post but said he understood the anger of the people.
Monterrey and the state of Nuevo Leon have been engulfed in increasing violence as the Los Zetas and Gulf cartels battle for control of drug trafficking routes to the United States.
More than 42,000 people have died in drug-related violence since Mexican President Felipe Calderón began his campaign to fight organized crime in December 2006, according to official figures.
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