Three shot dead in Mexico City tourist hotspot, 'mariachi' gunmen flee

Gunmen with rifles and pistols killed three people on Friday and injured at least seven in a tourist plaza in downtown Mexico City, police said, adding that they were chasing three men dressed as mariachi musicians who fled on motorbikes.

After years of keeping a lid on the worst violent crime that has plagued Mexico, its capital has seen homicides surge since 2014 to record levels, presenting a major challenge to an incoming city government that has vowed a clean-up.

In a statement, police said the three victims were killed at an intersection on the edge of Plaza Garibaldi, a major tourist destination packed with mariachi bars, just as the capital was kicking off independence day weekend celebrations.

The victims had been at a restaurant when the shooting started around 10 p.m., media said, adding that forensic officials had counted more than 60 bullet cases at the scene.

“People were screaming and running,” said a disabled woman who sells cigarettes in Garibaldi, shortly after having heard what she thought were fireworks. She declined to be identified.