NUEVO LAREDO, Tamaulipas — Two innocent victims died and a third was injured during a fierce gun battle in the border city of Nuevo Laredo. The deaths occurred when gunmen believed to be with a faction of Los Zetas attempted to ambush a squad of Mexican soldiers. The two innocent victims died when their vehicle became caught in the crossfire.

The gun-battle took place this week in the border city of Nuevo Laredo when a team of gunmen believed to be with the Cartel Del Noreste faction of Los Zetas tried to ambush Mexican soldiers in various parts of the city.

The attacks took place along Canseco Boulevard, the highway that leads to the city of Anahuac, as well as in the Alianza, Voluntad 3, Vicente Mendoza, Los Fresnos, and FOVISSSTE neighborhoods. As Breitbart Texas reported, the CDN has been behind several ambush-style attacks on the Mexican Army and the Mexican Navy who have been cracking down on their operations.

The innocent victims were riding in a blue four-door Chevrolet Silverado along the highway that leads to the Nuevo Laredo airport when they drove into the scene of a gun battle and came under fire. Law enforcement information provided to Breitbart Texas revealed that the vehicle was struck by .50 caliber and 7.62 caliber bullets. Authorities are working to determine if the military mistook the vehicle for one of the vehicles used by the cartel gunmen.

The victims were identified as 41-year-old Julio Cepeda and Cindy Guadalupe C.H. who were employees of an import and export company called Cantor. A third victim whose identity has not been released was treated for injuries and is expected to aid in the investigation.

As a result of the several ambush attacks by the CDN, five Mexican soldiers were injured and three cartel members killed. The attack left Mexican Army Lt. Fernando Castro gravely injured. He later died at a local hospital from his injuries.

The death of the two bystanders comes almost at the same time that a minor league professional soccer player and his mother were killed near the border city of Reynosa. Cartel gunmen shot at them as they were riding in the family vehicle along a local highway, Breitbart Texas reported.

Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Nuevo León and other areas to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “A.C. Del Angel” from Tamaulipas and Jose Luis Lara, a former leading member who helped start the Self-Defense Movement in Michoacán.