The Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) said its officers fired at the truck that killed five civilians in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, early Sunday morning, after chasing the vehicle, which crashed into another parked vehicle.
Two days later, the agency gave its version of what happened, according to which the soldiers assigned to the base of operations in that city were conducting reconnaissance in the area when, at 4:50 a.m., they heard gunshots and then saw a speeding pickup truck with no license plates and its lights off.
"Upon observing the presence of the troops, they accelerated suddenly and evasively, stopping their march after colliding with a parked vehicle," the police said in a statement.
"In response to this situation, upon hearing a loud noise, the military personnel fired their firearms, an incident that various authorities are currently investigating to determine the truth of the events," added Sedena.
