Cyclist wounded by gunfire in downtown Mérida, suspect tied to drug trade
A cyclist was shot and wounded Monday night in downtown Mérida by the driver of a black vehicle. Police are looking for a suspect known to be involved in the illicit drug trade.
The rare downtown shooting took place on Calle 68 between 71 and 73, police said.
Witnesses say that the cyclist and driver of the black Chevrolet Blazer exchanged words for a few seconds before the latter discharged his weapon.
Paramedics and the city’s police were immediately deployed to the scene of the shooting. The victim was later reported to be in stable condition.
Law enforcement also closed down several streets to protect the perimeter of the crime scene.
The main suspect is said to be known to local authorities as he is allegedly involved in the illicit drug trade. He has not been apprehended.
But the suspect was likely identified thanks to surveillance cameras set up by the state government throughout the city.
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Municipal and state police, as well as members of the national guard immediately began operations to apprehend the shooter.
The reason behind the shooting remains unclear, but authorities are claiming that it’s likely that the suspect was intoxicated and that he gave in to road rage.
The case shares some similarities with another non-fatal shooting last March, in which a motorcycle driver opened fire on a car — presumably also because of road rage.
Gun violence is fairly rare in Mérida. Federal, state, and local authorities say that they are taking the matter very seriously.
Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal and Mérida Mayor Renán Barrera Concha are expected comment sometime this morning.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer and adventure leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
