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By Chris Covert
Mexican Policia Federal (PF) units seized 37 weapons including machine guns and more than 25,000 rounds of ammunition as well as four C4 demolition charges following Monday morning's armed confrontation with criminal suspects in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, according to a post at the Secretaria de Seguridad Publica (SSP) website Tuesday evening.
According to the news release, Policia Federal units originally caught suspects in two vehicles carrying heavy rifles, a Mexican police term for assault rifles, and began countermeasures, which led to the gunfights.
According to a news article at the website of El Sol de Zacatecas news daily, one of the suspects who died in the gunfight was identified as Armando Delgado Costilla, 22 of Fresnillo, Zacatecas.
One unidentified Policia Federal agent was wounded along with a two year old child. Both the agent and the young child are expected to survive their wounds.
Weapons and munitions seized following the firefight include: one rocket launcher, four blocks of M112 demolition charges, 10 AK-47 assault rifles, seven .223 caliber assault rifles, three 7.62x39mm assault rifles (similar to AK-47), two .30 caliber M-1 rifles, one .30 caliber M-2 carbin, one .223 caliber Bushmaster M17S assault rifle, one .223 caliber AR-15 assault rifle, one .223 caliber SGW brand XM15A1 rifle, one 7.62x39mm Tapco brand rifle (takes AK-47 rounds), one .308 caliber Cetmesporter brand rifle (Century Arms commercial G-3 copy), one .223 caliber M-16-A1 rifle, one .223 caliber Winchester brand rifle, seven 7.62 caliber machine guns, 25,674 rounds of ammunition, 160 weapons magazines.
Weapons accessories and tactical gear seized include one 7.62mm machine gun bipod, weapons furniture, military uniforms and shirts.
Vehicles seized include one Dodge Ram pickup truck, one Chevrolet Equinox SUV, one Nissan Safari SUV, one Chevrolet Suburban SUV, one Ford Lobo Lariat (F-150), one unidentified sedan, one Hummer H3 SUV and one Nissan Titan pickup truck.
In another confrontation Monday evening in Zacatecas, Policia Federal units shot and killed unidentified man said to be a member of organized crime.
The confrontation took place in the village of Calera in Ramon Lopez Velarde municipality, where PF units on patrol came under small arms fire from armed suspects travelling aboard a vehicle. PF returned fire apparently hitting and killing the suspect.
Ramon Lopez Velarde is roughly 20 kilometers southeast of Fresnillo.