2011 Monterrey casino attack

2011 Monterrey casino attack
Part of the Mexican drug war
Casino Royale after the attack
LocationAvenida San Jerónimo, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Coordinates25°40′27″N 100°21′18″W / 25.67417°N 100.35500°W / 25.67417; -100.35500
DateAugust 25, 2011 (2011-08-25)
15:30 – (UTC-5)
TargetCasino Royale owner
Attack type
Fire attack using fuel and grenade
Deaths52
Injured10
PerpetratorsLos Zetas

On August 25, 2011, members of the drug cartel Los Zetas set a casino on fire in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, killing 52 people.[1][2]

The arson attack left over a dozen injured, and over 35 trapped for several hours. Mexican forces, which arrived at the place minutes after the incident, eventually used backhoes to break down the walls and free the trapped victims.[3] Media reports state the majority of those killed were women,[4] including one who was pregnant.[5] Although the government crackdown on the drug cartels dates back to 2006,[6] Monterrey became an increasingly violent city in 2010,[7] due to the rupture between the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas.[8]

Surveillance footage shows vehicles with armed gunmen arriving at the entrance of Casino Royale.[9] After the gunmen descended from their vehicles, they stormed the casino's main entrance, opened fire on guests, and doused the casino entrances with gasoline, starting a fire that trapped people inside.[10] The attack was classified as the most violent and bloodiest in the history of Monterrey and one of the worst in the state of Nuevo León.[11]

  1. ^ Zabludovsky, Karla (September 1, 2011). "The Monterrey massacre: a new nadir in Mexico's drug war". Guardian News | UK. London. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  2. ^ "Mexico drugs crisis: Monterrey shocked by casino attack". BBC News ©. August 27, 2011.
  3. ^ "Atacan Casino Royale en Monterrey: 52 muertos". Milenio Noticias. August 25, 2011.
  4. ^ "Luto por masacre en casino de Monterrey". El Heraldo. August 26, 2011. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  5. ^ Ediciones El País (August 27, 2011). "La policía mexicana difunde los retratos de los atacantes del casino de Monterrey". EL PAÍS. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  6. ^ Archibold, Randal C. (March 3, 2011). "Felipe Calderon Hinojosa". New York Times.
  7. ^ "Monterrey: Tocando fondo". Nexos en linea. January 8, 2011.
  8. ^ "La violencia en Monterrey es insostenible". Movimiento por la paz. August 29, 2011. Archived from the original on December 15, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  9. ^ "Video Muestra Ataque A Casino Royale De Monterrey 26-08-11". Multimedios TV. August 25, 2011.
  10. ^ Jaccarino, Mike (August 25, 2011). "Gunmen set Monterrey's Casino Royale on fire, killing at least 53 in latest Mexico violence". New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011.
  11. ^ De Córdoba, José (August 25, 2011). "At Least 53 Killed in Mexico Casino". The Wall Street Journal | Latin America.