### Lieutenant Commander of Tecate Municipal Police Assassinated
**By TJGringo Team**
**September 4, 2024**
Humberto Cota Contreras, the lieutenant commander of the Tecate Municipal Police, was tragically ambushed and killed this Wednesday, September 4th, while driving his dark-colored Ford F150 along Los Pirules street. Armed assailants, using high-caliber rifles and handguns, fired over fifty shots at the officer.
Eyewitnesses reported that one group of attackers, traveling in a grey pickup truck, exited their vehicle to continue the onslaught before fleeing the scene. Humberto Cota was discovered inside his vehicle, injured and with a firearm, suggesting he attempted to defend himself. Unofficial reports suggest that Cota might have wounded one of his attackers.
Authorities from various levels of government arrived quickly at the scene, immediately summoning an ambulance. Paramedics arrived and confirmed Lieutenant Commander Cota’s death, noting that he was off-duty at the time.
Nearby, students at Leopoldo Zea Elementary School were protected by their teachers, who locked classroom doors and instructed the children to lie on the floor to keep safe from potential stray bullets.
Humberto Cota had previously been implicated in “narcomantas” (informative banners posted by criminal organizations) around Tecate, accusing him of providing information to local cartels, specifically the Sinaloa Cartel.
In a related event on April 26, 2021, Cota, along with another officer, Antonio Ortega, engaged in a shootout following the murder of Olivia Martínez, another Tecate Municipal Police officer. Martínez was killed in a drive-by attack on Universidad Boulevard.
On the same day as Cota’s fatal attack, police discovered a narcomanta bearing the initials CJNG (Jalisco New Generation Cartel), accusing state and municipal officers of collaborating with the Sinaloa Cartel and issuing threats:
“…This message goes out to all the municipal and ministerial police officers collaborating with the Sinaloa Cartel (04 Fraijo) (11 Miguel Ángel Guerrero), you’re going to get what’s coming for being traitors. Sincerely, CJNG.”
Authorities continue to investigate this tragic event, which underscores the ongoing violence and cartel-related conflicts in the region.
## Secondary Article: Increasing Violence Shakes Baja California
Recently, the violence in Baja California has seen a significant uptick, marked by alarming events including the assassination of multiple high-ranking police officers. Just in the past month, a series of ambushes and attacks have targeted law enforcement, further highlighting the perilous conditions under which they operate.
### Recent Developments:
– **August 20, 2024:** A Tijuana police officer was ambushed while patrolling a high-crime area. The perpetrators, traveling in two vehicles, used automatic weapons to carry out the attack.
– **August 25, 2024:** In Mexicali, a cartel-related shoot-out left three police officers injured and one civilian dead. The clash erupted when officers attempted to intercept a drug shipment.
– **September 1, 2024:** Ensenada witnessed a brutal attack on a local prosecutor’s office, causing severe injuries to two staff members. Cartel threats increased against judicial officers.
These incidents underscore the pressing need for robust security measures and heightened protection for officials amid escalating cartel violence. With the assassination of Humberto Cota, calls for enhanced interagency cooperation and resource allocation to combat organized crime have intensified.
Stay tuned to TJGringo for ongoing updates on this developing story and other critical news in Baja California.
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**Topics Covered:**
CJNG, Security, Tecate, Law Enforcement, Crime, Cartels, Baja California
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