Greg Toppo

USATODAY

Three people, including a minor, were being held Sunday in connection with the slaying of the newly inaugurated mayor of Temixco, a gang-troubled city in central Mexico's Morelos state.

Mayor Gisela Mota was gunned down in her home on Saturday, less than a day after she was sworn in, the Associated Press reported.

Morelos Gov. Graco Ramirez blamed organized crime. He ordered flags on state buildings flown at half-staff and called for three days of mourning.

Ramon Castro Castro, Roman Catholic bishop of Cuernavaca, celebrated Mass at Mota's home Sunday and later said some areas are controlled by organized crime.

"One theory could be that it was a warning to the other mayors," Castro told reporters. "If you don't cooperate with organized crime, look at what will happen to you. It's to scare them."

Mota, 33, was a former federal congresswoman. Her center-left Democratic Revolution Party released a statement describing her as "a strong and brave woman who on taking office as mayor, declared that her fight against crime would be frontal and direct."

The Association of Local Authorities of Mexico said nearly 100 mayors have been killed across Mexico over the past decade, "principally at the hands of organized crime."

Following Mota's killing, two suspects were killed in a clash with police and three others were arrested. Officials said they included a 32-year-old woman, an 18-year-old man and a minor. Attorney General Javier Perez Duron said they had been tied to other crimes.

Contributing: The Associated Press