Most of small Mexican town’s police force quits in fear after gunmen ambush fellow officers

Mexican town’s police force quits after ambush

MEXICO CITY — The bulk of a small Mexican town’s police force has quit after armed men ambushed and wounded two of their officers.

The Guerrero state police said Tuesday it has deployed 20 officers who will patrol the town of La Union until further notice.

The resignation of the six officers Monday evening came two days after their colleagues were ambushed.

The move left the town’s police force with five members: the chief, the deputy chief, an officer in charge of weapons logistics and the two wounded officers who are hospitalized.

Several Mexican towns have seen entire police forces quit in recent years, complaining they are outgunned by drug gangs.

Meanwhile, people in some Mexican towns have begun taking the law into their own hands, handing out rough justice to crime suspects.

Authorities in Mexico State, on the outskirts of Mexico City, reported Tuesday that residents of a town beat a man death on suspicion of robbing a young couple of 200 pesos (about $16) and a cell phone Monday.

The suspect and an accomplice allegedly held up the couple with a knife and what later was found to be a toy gun.

About 300 people pursued the two men, caught one and beat him so badly with sticks and fists that he died in an ambulance, officials said.