Intense gun battles broke out in Culiacán, Sinaloa, this afternoon after the Mexican Army and Federal Police captured Ovidio Guzmán López aka “El Ratón Nuevo,” a son of “El Chapo” Guzman.

According to local reports and Breitbart Texas law enforcement sources, the arrest sparked an intense deployment of Sinaloa Cartel gunmen to the scene of the incident and later the offices of the Federal Prosecutor’s office in attempted rescue effort.

Numerous videos released on social media captured the skirmishes throughout the city. Roadblocks were set by cartel reinforcements at various points of the city while roving gunmen with heavy weapons were spotted as well.

#Más: Otro video de los hombres armados que participan en las balaceras en #Culiacán. pic.twitter.com/UNDnnYR0yX — Carlos Zúñiga Pérez (@Carloszup) October 17, 2019

Panicked citizens could also be seen running through the streets with their children.

#OJO #Culiacan #Sinaloa Muy tensa la situación en culiacan sicarios del Cártel De Sinaloa #CDS están quitando carros para bloquear calles y avenidas. pic.twitter.com/zoiMO5VBf1 — La Voz Del Pueblo (Oficial) (@LPueblo2) October 17, 2019

This is a developing story and will be updated shortly.

Robert Arce is a retired Phoenix Police detective with extensive experience working Mexican organized crime and street gangs. Arce completed work assignments in the Balkans, Iraq, Haiti, and recently completed a three-year tour in Monterrey, Mexico, for the U.S. Department of State, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Program.