In a small rural town of Chihuahua, the rule of law is a vague concept, and angry residents felt justified in killing two presumed kidnappers Tuesday.
The two 17-year-olds, Raymundo Rascón Ortega and Andres Ramírez González, were part of a group of eight who had abducted 16-year-old Thelma Díaz Salazar from a seafood restaurant, state police said.
Ascensión is a farming town 120 miles southwest of Juárez and close to the U.S. border with New Mexico.
The town had been the scene of a rash of kidnappings in the past few months. In the past, Ascensión residents had banded together to raise ransom money. On Tuesday, they banded together to get revenge.
The kidnapped girl's aunt, Maricruz Salazar, said the group had been carrying out at least three kidnappings a week for months. People of Ascensión knew the kidnappers because they were members of the small community.
"We are a town in so much distress," Salazar said. "We are sick of the kidnappings."
What occurred Tuesday was bound to happen, many residents say.
State police said eight gunmen arrived about 8 a.m. at Mariscos Lolo, a restaurant owned by Noel Dolores Loya. He is a town alderman and the uncle of the kidnapped girl.
The eight kidnappers appeared to have confused the girl with Dolores' wife. They grabbed the girl and escaped in three vehicles northbound toward Buena Vista, a ranch of Mennonites, officials said.
Meanwhile, the father of the girl and the owner of the restaurant
The two 17-year-olds, Raymundo Rascón Ortega and Andres Ramírez González, were part of a group of eight who had abducted 16-year-old Thelma Díaz Salazar from a seafood restaurant, state police said.
Ascensión is a farming town 120 miles southwest of Juárez and close to the U.S. border with New Mexico.
The town had been the scene of a rash of kidnappings in the past few months. In the past, Ascensión residents had banded together to raise ransom money. On Tuesday, they banded together to get revenge.
The kidnapped girl's aunt, Maricruz Salazar, said the group had been carrying out at least three kidnappings a week for months. People of Ascensión knew the kidnappers because they were members of the small community.
"We are a town in so much distress," Salazar said. "We are sick of the kidnappings."
What occurred Tuesday was bound to happen, many residents say.
State police said eight gunmen arrived about 8 a.m. at Mariscos Lolo, a restaurant owned by Noel Dolores Loya. He is a town alderman and the uncle of the kidnapped girl.
The eight kidnappers appeared to have confused the girl with Dolores' wife. They grabbed the girl and escaped in three vehicles northbound toward Buena Vista, a ranch of Mennonites, officials said.
Meanwhile, the father of the girl and the owner of the restaurant
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