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Thursday, May 11, 2017

Mexican soldier filmed 'shooting suspect at point-blank range'

A video that appears to show a Mexican soldier shooting a man lying face down on the ground in the back of the head has sparked calls for a federal investigation.

In the footage, a badly damaged car can be seen rolling to a halt as gunfire sparks off the bonnet and roof, before it is surrounded by soldiers.

Minutes later, the doors of the vehicle open and people getting out are forced on to the ground off-camera.

Soldiers then drag a man, who appears to still be alive, into a well-lit part of the shot, where he lies face down on the ground with his hands on his head for about six minutes before a soldier steps over him and appears to shoot him at point-blank range.

What appears to be blood then pools on the floor as the soldiers move around.

Mexico's defence ministry has urged federal prosecutors to examine the video.

In a statement, it said prosecutors should "comprehensively clear up" whether the footage does show a detained man being shot dead after a clash last week between security forces and suspected criminals.

The incident is reported to have taken place during a gun battle between soldiers and suspected oil thieves in the state of Puebla last week.

Four soldiers and six suspected criminals were killed in the clashes.

Mexico's army has been caught up in a number of scandals in the last few years involving the use of extrajudicial force, undermining government efforts to crackdown on gang violence.

The defence ministry said in a statement that soldiers had come under fire from vehicles in Palmarito and had detained some of the attackers.

It said it was co-operating with the attorney general's office.

In 2014 and 2015, shootouts between federal security forces and suspected gang members left more than 60 people dead and triggered claims of extrajudicial killings.

Three soldiers are in prison over one of those shootings.

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