Suspected Perpetrators Of Setting Fire To Smoke Shops In Tijuana Arrested.

Mica for cartelinsider.com

Alexis Antonio “N”, 26 years old; Bryan “N”, 22 years old; and Javier “N”, 37 years old, were arrested, suspected of being responsible for the burning of at least three “Smoke Shops” in different areas of Tijuana. In one of the stores, two employees were injured.

According to the official report, the three individuals were pursued by local police officers when they attempted to flee in stolen vehicles, a TrailBlazer from which they exited and a Ford Escape in which they got into to make their escape. However, they lost control and were involved in a traffic accident, which led to their arrest on Pedregal Street in the Playas de Tijuana development.

Upon inspecting the Ford Escape vehicle, a strong smell of gasoline was detected, which was spilled during the pursuit. Coupled with the physical characteristics and other evidence found in the vehicles, it is suspected that these individuals are involved in the attacks on the “Smoke Shop” stores that occurred on the night of Monday, February 19. Furthermore, the Office of the State Prosecutor (FGE) is already investigating the case and the possible connection of the detainees with a criminal group operating in the region.

It was Monday night when three simultaneous attacks were reported at businesses dedicated to the sale of products related to vaping, resulting in two employees being shot at one of the establishments, one of whom died.

The first attack occurred at 8:25 pm against the Sunset Smoke Shop, located on Ermita Sur and Guillermo Prieto street in the Anexa 20 de Noviembre neighborhood. The two employees were attacked with firearms. The employee identified as Alejandro García López, 27 years old and from Tijuana, died from the gunshot wounds, while his coworker Pompeya Hernández Gordian, 45 years old, was injured and hospitalized in serious condition.

According to witnesses, two young men with face masks and caps; fair-skinned, slender, and one of them carrying a gallon of gasoline, entered the establishment and violently started arguing with the manager, before shooting at him and fleeing the scene in a van, also injuring his partner.

At 8:49 pm, a robbery with violence and fire was reported at the Smoke Shop store, located on Paseo Cucapah street in the Ampliación Guaycura neighborhood. According to the witnesses, the employees were locked up and the store was set on fire.

Police officers from the municipal police arrived at the scene and confirmed the incident. In fact, one person was injured and was transported in a private vehicle to a hospital for treatment.

Another incident was reported at 9:46 pm on Díaz Ordaz boulevard in Las Brisas neighborhood, where a fire was reported at a food establishment. According to the witnesses, a person, wearing a dark jacket and a backpack, threw “something” at the establishment and it started to burn.

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Mica

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