Mexican church sets up ‘traffic light’ warning system for worshippers, where a red light means someone is being shot outside



St Teresa of Avila Church adopted the system after widespread violence erupted in Monterrey

The lights have been put up on top of a side door in the church



Green means it is safe but red indicates it is dangerous outside



A Mexican church has set up a traffic light warning system for worshippers where a red light means someone is being shot outside.

Violence now dominates Monterrey, Mexico's wealthiest and third largest city in Nuevo Leon state , which is beset by shootouts and armed robberies.

A culture of fear is now so widespread that St Teresa of Avila Church adopted the traffic light system to warn worshippers if danger is near.



Warning: A Catholic priest gives Holy Communion to a member of the congregation as a green light is lit inside St Teresa of Avila church indicating it is safe outside

During mass, a green light is activated from the top of a side door, which means there is no presence of danger on the streets outside.

When the amber light is lit it indicates caution, while a red light represents danger, most often a shooting.



A concrete wall has also been constructed in front of the main facade of the church for added security.

The walls inside the church are adorned with posters and notices showing pictures of people who are missing or who are feared kidnapped.



Danger: St Teresa of Avila Church in Monterrey where violence has erupted between gangs in recent years

Safe: Worshippers pray near windows covered partially with cement blocks for added security inside the Monterrey church

Reflect: A woman sits near posted and notices of people who are missing or who have been kidnapped inside St. Teresa of Avila Church

The capital region had been largely spared the widespread drug violence that grips parts of Mexico.

But violence spiked in Monterrey when the Zetas gang broke its alliance with the Gulf cartel.



The sprawling metropolis of 20million people began to see more killings and decapitations committed by street gangs that are remnants of splintered drug cartels.

Crime scene: Forensics collect evidence at the spot where a man was shot dead in Monterrey last week

Bullets in the dust: Progreso, Coahuila, about 80 miles west of the Texas border is known as a lawless badland where crime gangs regularly clash with heavily armed police and soldiers

Nuevo Leon state, on the border with Texas, is now the scene of the turf battle between members of the Gulf drug cartel and the Zetas drug gang.



The Zetas were hit men for the Gulf cartel until they split in 2010, unleashing their bloody war.



However, their kingpin, drug lord Heriberto Lazcano, was killed by the Mexican military in October.

He was considered one of Mexico's most feared drug barons and known as The Executioner.



At least 70,000 people have died in drug-related violence since 2006 in Mexico after troops were deployed to battle drug cartels, according to the new government which took over in December.



Turf war: Violence spiked in Monterrey (pictured) when the Zetas gang broke its alliance with the Gulf cartel



