Mayor gunned down shortly after taking office in Mexico

"CBSN: On Assignment" reports on the murder of a photojournalist in Mexico

A Mexican mayor was gunned down shortly after he took office, the governor of Mexico's southern state of Oaxaca said. Gov. Alejandro Murat confirmed the killing of Tlaxiaco Mayor Alejandro Aparicio Santiago via his Twitter account Tuesday.

Murat condemned the slaying and promised a thorough investigation, saying a suspect was already in custody. The state prosecutor's office said in a statement that Aparicio had just been sworn in and was headed to a meeting at city hall when an unknown number of gunmen opened fire at him.

He was taken to a hospital, but died there later. Four other people were wounded in the attack.

Tlaxiaco is the hometown of Yalitza Aparicio, star of the film "Roma." It was not immediately known if she was related to the victim.

In 2017, CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez reported Mexico had become one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. Reporting on cartel violence and government corruption led to 100 journalist killings in a 25-year span, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.