Wild Shootout Between Gunmen And Soldiers At An Upscale Mall In Mexico Had Residents Shellshocked

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A shootout between soldiers and gunmen at an upscale mall has shocked the major Mexican city of Guadalajara.

Local prosecutor Joaquin Mendez told local media that four people were wounded in the Sunday evening shootout. They may have included employees or customers at the mall, as well as possible suspects. Another man was found dead in a car near the mall, and may have been a bodyguard.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed the death and said the shooting was caused by an attempt by kidnappers to abduct a car dealer.

López Obrador said the businessman's bodyguards had opened fire against the kidnappers and soldiers had joined in. He called the shooting “very regrettable."

Videos and photos posted to social media showed shoppers taking cover or diving to the floor of the mall to avoid the bullets while gunmen and soldiers ran as the sounds of gunfire rang out.

The governor of Jalisco state, where Guadalajara is located, confirmed the shootings in the Guadalajara suburb of Zapopan. But Gov. Enrique Alfaro did not specify the number of injured.

Jalisco is home to the drug cartel of the same name. However, the gang has been riven by fighting between warring factions in Guadalajara for years.