“HEARST” for Borderland Beat
On Monday, July 8, a shootout between the Mexican military and Sinaloa Cartel broke out in San José del Llano, near La Tuna, Sinaloa.
The shooting reportedly began at around 11:00 am. Videos of vehicles left badly damaged from the fighting have been published online.
Video Source: All Source News
Locals report that intermittent gun fire has been heard throughout the afternoon and at around 3:00 pm, cell phone and internet service went down.
Ernesto Martinez, from Los Noticieristas, writes that four people have been killed in the conflict so far, according to unofficial sources. Radio Formula added that it’s unclear if the four deceased were soldiers or hitmen.
Meanwhile the news outlet Debate writes that at least five have been arrested. They also report that a military vehicle has been found burned between the towns of La Palma and La Tuna.
Three military helicopters can be seen flying near the shootout location in a video published by Noroeste .
Video Source: Noroeste
Milenio newspaper is reporting that the shooting may be connected to a dead body with a threatening narco message that was found just hours before the shooting started.
Earlier today, in Badiraguato, Sinaloa, a man named Emigdio was found shot to death.
But it’s worth noting that Badiraguato is an hour and a half drive away from San José del Llano – the location of the larger shootout. Whether this is the same dead body that Milenio is referring to is currently unclear.
The Area was Previously Associated with El Guano
It’s worth noting that the most recent notable cartel activity in the area of San José del Llano was related to Chapo’s brother Aureliano Guzman Loera, alias “El Guano”.
Back in March 2024, a dead body and a narco message were found and the message read:
“This is what will happen to any of the assholes who try to find Guano.
– GDG [Gente del Guano]”
The current popular theory online (which is completely unconfirmed and unverified) is currently that the recent shootout relates to one of Guano’s sons.
Guano is known to have a son named Elián Guzmán, alias “El Chico”, and another son named Aureliano Guzmán Araujo, alias “El Gabacho” or “El Guanito”.
Chico is best known for a video of him attending a baptism in Culiacan. He can be seen standing next to Sinaloa Cartel member Jose Bryan Salgueiro Zepada, alias “El 90”, who is detained by federal authorities in the middle of the ceremony.
Meanwhile his brother Guanito is known for a video of him pulling out a firearm during an argument at a bar.
Sources: Los Noticieristas, All Source News, Debate, Radio Formula, Milenio, Tribuna, Noroeste, Eco1_LVM