Federal authorities confirmed an attack on a regional head of Mexico’s National Intelligence Center (CNI). The top official sustained gunshot injuries while one of his staff died in the shootout.

The National Safety and Security Secretariat confirmed the attack on Wednesday afternoon. The head of the CNI for the Guanajuato Region, Juan Jose Olvera, sustained gunshot injuries, according to an official statement. The intelligence official and his immediate staff were traveling along the highway that connects the cities of Salamanca and Celaya when gunmen tried to carjack them.

The driver of the vehicle took evasive maneuvers while officials tried to fight back. One agent died in the struggle. Police rushed to the scene and set up a manhunt. No arrests were made.

The incident comes at a time when highway travelers in central Mexico are seeing a dramatic rise in carjackings and robberies. The route between Salamanca and Celaya was the scene of numerous robberies where victims were shot trying to flee or resist.

Last month, Periodico Correo published a video of a robbery along one of Salamanca’s highways where three men can be seen jumping out of a pickup, waiving firearms as they rob an innocent motorist.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.

Tony Aranda from Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report.