17 Dead in Acapulco Shootout

A fierce, 2-hour gun battle between drug agents and Mexican authorities in Acapulco has left 15 gunmen and 2 soldiers dead, the BBC reports. After receiving a tip, troops ambushed a house in the resort town last night, as gunmen hurled grenades and crashed their cars trying to flee. Upon entering the house, soldiers found four police officers held hostage.

Troops also seized 36 rifles, 13 shotguns, two hand grenades, 3,525 cartridges, 180 magazines, and eight vehicles. Tourists were evacuated from several nearby hotels, and the violence couldn’t come at a worse time for Acapulco, which has seen its lucrative tourism industry collapse after the outbreak of swine flu.
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