Former Mexican Police Chief In Stable Condition After Being Shot
The former police chief of the Mexican border city of Juárez is hospitalized and in stable condition after being shot on Friday.
Julian Leyzaola, credited with restoring order to two of Mexico’s most violent cities, was shot three times by a suspect carrying a 380 caliber handgun. He was sitting in his car in a Juárez parking lot while his wife and son were inside a money exchange store. A police spokesman said two suspects are now in custody. A motive is not yet known.
Leyzaola, a retired army colonel, was previously the police chief in Tijuana, where he was the target of a failed assassination attempt. He served as police chief to both border cities during periods of intense drug violence. During both terms he was also accused of human rights violations, including ordering the torture of suspects.
