You gotta wonder why they use such a powerful rifle from such a short distance away. A competent rifleman could make that shot over open sights using a smaller caliber modern rifle.
Reading dozens of seized weapons reports in Mexico over the years, the only dedicated rifle that could be used as a sniper weapon that is available to both the cartels and Mexico's military is the Barrett 0.50 caliber rifle. Mexican road patrols in the south and central regions mount Barretts on their patrol vehicles.
Los Zetas are known to use Barretts and have used them in the shootouts in Reynosa against their Gulf Cartel enemies during 2010 and 2011, as well as the 2010 intergang firefight in Tubutama in Sonora, which killed 24.
This is the first report I have seen of a dedicated hit using the Barrett. Cartels usually prefer drive by shootings to get Mexican police top dawgs.
Police found one spent cartridge casing and a tripod mount about 60 meters away. Presumably only one shot was fired. |