At least 14 people died Wednesday in a series of clashes between gunmen and federal police in Michoacan state, authorities said. Federal police said in a statement the first gunbattle began when officers aboard a helicopter spotted armed men traveling in four vehicles in the town of Gabriel Zamora. The gunmen opened fire on the agents, who shot back and killed five assailants, AP quoted the statement as saying. It said one of those killed was high in the leadership structure of a Michoacan-based drug cartel, but didn't identify the group. Hours later in the town of Apatzingan, federal agents were accompanying a caravan of citizens commemorating the anniversary of the death of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata when gunmen fired shots at some of the participants. Police killed one of the gunmen, authorities said. The citizens continued on and were again attacked by gunmen who fired from an overpass, police said. Eight people died and another eight were wounded, including two police officers.
