RIO BRAVO, Tamaulipas – Two cartel gunmen died and one innocent bystander was injured in a fierce shootout near the Texas border.

The shootout took place this week along the highway that connects the border cities of Rio Bravo and Reynosa. Mexican military forces responded to reports of convoys of gunmen roaming the area. When a squad of cartel shooters spotted the troops, they triggered a fierce shootout. Tamaulipas state cops and federal police officers rushed to assist.

Residents locked themselves inside their homes and recorded gunfire in their vicinity. In Reynosa, residents captured recent shootouts and shared updates via social media to warn neighbors.

Two Gulf Cartel operatives riding in armored trucks died during the battle, while an innocent bystander was also wounded. The violence follows several days of shootouts where rival factions of the Gulf Cartel fight for control of Reynosa.

After several months, the cartel faction known as “Scorpions” managed to take control of Rio Bravo from “Los Metros,” pushing them back into Reynosa. The eastern edges of Reynosa, including spots near the Pharr-Reynosa International bridge, are hotspots of violence.