Fourteen people were killed and dozens of inmates escaped after suspected cartels opened fire on a prison in northern Mexico on Sunday.
The suspected cartel members opened fire at the facility, located in Ciudad Juarez on the U.S. border, around 7:00 a.m., according to the BBC. Ten guards and four prisoners were killed during the attack. Fighting between different criminal organizations inside the prison led to a further 13 injuries.
Police estimate that at least 24 inmates escaped during the ordeal, the BBC continued. Families and witnesses outside of the prison told news outlets that the attackers were better armed than law enforcement and dressed in all-black. They also fired at vehicles outside of the prison, witnesses stated.
Gunmen attack a prison in northern Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez, leaving 14 people dead and allowing 24 inmates to escape – Chihuahua state prosecutors’ office pic.twitter.com/LYYpzSQHnl
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Army and National Guard personnel have been brought in to support local authorities in the wake of the attack, according to the BBC. Police regained control of the prison later on Sunday, and the state prosecutor is investigating the events, CBS News noted. (RELATED: Monkey Found In Bulletproof Vest After Deadly Narco Shootout In Mexico)
Hundreds of troops were sent to the same prison in Aug. 2021 after a riot broke out, Reuters reported. Eleven people, — mostly civilians, — were killed during the clash and 16 were injured. Police have so far not released details of the riot’s causes.