Mexican prosecutors are searching for the gunman who opened fire on an official of the U.S. consulate in Guadalajara.
The official was wounded in the attack, and is still alive and in stable condition, but the shooting appears to have been a direct attempt at kill the consular, whose name is being kept private. Guadalajara is Mexico’s second largest city, and the capital of the Jalisco state, which is currently dominated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. There is no evidence that points to the shooting being cartel influenced. No special travel warnings for the city have been issued since the shooting.
In surveillance video of the parking lot where the shooting took place, the attacker follows him into the parking garage, but waits for the consulate to drive out before firing a round into the car’s windshield. The consulate released a statement on Facebook with the surveillance footage, stating that there is a reward of $20,000 for any information on the attacker.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City will not be releasing any more information on the victim, including his condition, for privacy reasons. An Embassy spokes women who has not been authorized to be quoted by name said the following.
This isn’t the first time a U.S. consular employee or agent has been attacked in Mexico. These attacks have happened before, the attackers often arguing that they were caused by cases of mistaken identity.
The case is being handled by federal detectives, as an attack on diplomatic personnel is a federal crime in Mexico.
