An off-duty cop has been hailed a hero after allowing a gang of hitmen who were following his family in two cars to shoot him dead in order to save his wife and two children.
Adrian Matsumoto, 33, who was the second in command of the municipal police of the city of Ciudad Juarez in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, had reportedly been driving in his car with his family on his day off when he noticed two suspicious vehicles had surrounded them.
Matsumoto, who had been receiving death threats from cartels, noticed the severity of the situation and is said to have got out of his car and walked 10 steps away from it so the gunmen in the two vehicles would not shoot towards his family.
The criminals in the vehicles then opened fire, with over 50 spent bullet casings found at the scene, and the police officer died instantly.
Witnesses told local media that the victim’s family, his wife and two children, ran up to his body once the criminals had fled but could nothing to keep him alive. The shooting reportedly took place close to the Federal Police headquarters in the city.
Reports state Matsumoto had received threats allegedly scrawled on blankets and hung in prominent places by local drug cartels. He is said to have killed a member of a criminal organisation in a recent confrontation.
Local media report the officer had two complaints of police abuse filed against him.
The victim was the head of the Intelligence Group of the Secretary of Public Security of Ciudad Juarez and had several awards for studies in Intelligence and SWAT units.
He was also reportedly studying to be a paramedic and helped when needed with treating wounds.
Dozens of police officers gathered to pay tribute to their colleague at his funeral ceremony which was held with strong police protection.
The investigation is ongoing.
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Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
