Mexico Christmas party attack death toll revised to 11

The death toll from a weekend gun attack in central Mexico has been revised down to 11, the prosecutor’s office said Monday.

About 100 young people had gathered for a “posada” — a religious Christmas gathering — when the assault unfolded.

Authorities in the state of Guanajuato reported at the time that 11 people were killed at the scene and another died while being treated for gunshot wounds at a hospital.

“It could be established that this twelfth (deceased) was not related to the aforementioned events,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Monday.

The attack at a hacienda, or ranch, in the municipality of Salvatierra also left 14 wounded.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called it “a heinous crime”.

“They were at a posada and they came to murder them,” he told reporters.

According to the prosecutor’s office, a group of men tried to attend the event uninvited but were asked to leave.

“They subsequently returned accompanied by another group of people carrying firearms and it was at that moment that they began to shoot at those present, in addition to causing fire damage to various vehicles.”

Authorities have not identified the suspects or whether they belong to any of the criminal gangs in Guanajuato.

The area, home to a thriving industrial center, has become one of the most violent in Mexico due to the presence of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, which is battling with the Jalisco New Generation for control of drug trafficking and stolen fuel.

These criminal cells also engage in other crimes, such as kidnapping and extortion. In recent years there have been attacks on businesses in the state, such as bars, restaurants and gas stations.

Security consultant David Saucedo told AFP on Sunday that, based on statements from the victims’ families, one of the event’s organizers was the target of an extortion attempt by a criminal organization.

Guanajuato this year topped the list of states with the most homicides in Mexico, with 3,029 so far, according to official figures.