The National Guard opened fire on two agents of the Sonora Attorney General’s Office Wednesday, killing one and wounding the other in what appears to have been a case of mistaken identity.

The incident occurred yesterday afternoon on a dirt road near the Ejido San Isidro, about 30 kilometers from the city of Caborca. The victims were José Ramón Reyes, 37, and his sister Verónica Reyes.

Early reports indicate that the two were riding in an SUV when they were attacked by guardsmen, who evidently believed the vehicle was that of a local criminal leader. At least seven shots were fired at the front windshield with high powered firearms.

José Reyes died at the scene while his sister was admitted to hospital with a bullet wound in the arm.

Several civil society organizations were quick to release a statement calling into question the value of deploying the National Guard in the state, claiming that the only result has been to generate more violence.

Source: Reforma (sp), Milenio (sp)