KRVG 5HIDALGO – Violence continues in the Mexican border city of Reynosa.
Reynosa officials confirmed a shooting happened Wednesday morning. The firefight spread panic among the residents, they said.
Reynosa residents said gun battles have become commonplace in the city. Wednesday’s shooting left one soldier dead, according to Tamaulipas state officials.
San Juan resident Patricia Barrera and her 15-year-old daughter Jennifer Perez heard about the shooting. They were in Reynosa’s downtown district when it happened.
“They told us that the sound we were hearing were machine guns. We didn’t see anything, but we heard the machine guns going off,” Barrera said.
The mother and daughter were grateful they weren’t in the middle of the violence. Still, they were shaken up as they made their way to the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge.
“When we got out of the bank and started walking, we saw a white vehicle with tinted windows. The men opened the door and they were looking at us. We were very scared. We thought we were going to get kidnapped,” Barrera said.
“He was just smiling and I thought it was really creepy … it gave me chills,” Jennifer said.
The teenager said it saddens her to know they don’t feel safe even when it’s just a quick trip to Reynosa.
“It’s crazy. You never know what can happen to us. It’s dangerous to come and there’s so many people risking their lives,” she said.
Felicita Ramirez echoed those sentiments. She lives in Reynosa and travels to the Valley frequently to buy supplies for her business. She said violence is even more concerning now that children have returned to school.
“It’s a problem to go outside fearing that we may not come back or the children may not make it back home safely. That’s a really serious concern for us, the people who live in Reynosa,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said she’s noticed more police patrols in the neighborhoods. She said that makes her feel a little safer, but still knows the violence in Reynosa isn’t letting up.