10 Kids Gunned Down in Mexico

Ten students were gunned down on their way to pick up scholarships in Durango, Mexico, officials said yesterday. The victims ranged in age from 8 to 21, with half under 16. Their pickup truck appears to have been hit with guns and grenades Sunday, after failing to stop at a checkpoint that was manned by drug traffickers, authorities tell the LA Times. The Zetas control parts of Durango, and often set up ad-hoc road blocks.

The students were on their way to pick up scholarships from the federal “Opportunities” program for low-income students. The mayor of the nearby town said he feels powerless to stop the drug violence. “We need more military presence,” he said, “more police who are trained and equipped to fight the kind of criminals we are facing.” (More Mexico stories.)