Five hitmen were killed in Mexico at the hands of a group of soldiers. After leaking a video from a security camera, Mexican prosecutors are investigating the events that occurred in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. The investigation, confirmed by the Defense Ministry, continues in parallel with the media coverage.
The video, originally dated May 18, 2023, shows soldiers kicking and punching five occupants out of the vehicle before pushing them against a wall. On security footage, a soldier is seen removing a weapon from the vehicle. The troops then appear to take cover and fire from a distance at unseen targets, before firing on the men.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told a news conference Wednesday that the killings appeared to have been an “execution.”
The Defense Ministry said that prosecutors from the military justice division are investigating the case. “There is no impunity for the conduct of military personnel, nor will any conduct contrary to the rule of law be allowed,” the ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.
The incident took place in the city of Nuevo Laredo, the same place where human rights groups say Mexican soldiers killed five men in February. Both the Attorney General’s office and the Ministry of Defense are cooperating to investigate the case.