Gunmen killed eight people in Guanajuato, Mexico’s most violent state, late Saturday, authorities confirmed.
The victims, five women and three men, were shot in the street in the municipality of Cortazar, a region previously targeted by cartel violence.
The attackers have not been caught, and officials have not yet identified the victims. The shooting comes amid a bloody conflict between the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel and the Jalisco New Generation cartel, both vying for control of the area.
On Sunday, the National Guard arrested a man reported to be a top hitman for the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel. Authorities have not confirmed if the arrest is connected to the recent killings.
Guanajuato, despite being an economic and tourist hub, has become a hotspot for drug-related violence. Since the Mexican government began its war on drug cartels in 2006, more than 480,000 people have been killed nationwide.