There were armed clashes and roadblocks yesterday in at least four municipalities of Michoacán, one of which occurred just steps away from a school.

Police were on a routine patrol on the Arantepacua-Turícuaro highway in Nahuatzen when armed civilians opened fire.

The ensuing gunfight ended with the death of one of the attackers and the arrest of two men who were carrying three firearms, and 14 packages containing a substance suspected to be crystal methamphetamine.

There were also armed confrontations in the municipalities of Aguililla and Buenavista. In the latter, high school students had to take cover in their classrooms during a battle that ran for some 45 minutes, the school’s director said.

One of the students caught several seconds of footage on a cell phone, showing classmates huddled on the floor as shots were fired outside.

In Apatzingán, armed civilians erected roadblocks that were later removed by police.

Source: Mi Morelia (sp), Milenio (sp)