**UPDATE**
The cremería mentioned in the story below was owned by the mayor of Marcos Castellanos, Michoacan, Jesus Bautista Alvarez. Michoacan was controlled by Knights Templar, a rival gang to Jalisco New Generation Cartel who is responsible for arson attacks in Puerto Vallarta on May 1, 2015. Indications are the family was targeted and this was not a random act of violence. Investigators nor the State Attorney have released any information at this time.
***
Under tension from yesterday’s cartel activity in Puerto Vallarta, rumors are running high that today’s fire at Cremería San Jose was another day of attacks in the city.
The State Attorney has been careful not to rule the incident as cartel related and is carefully looking at all the evidence.
The cremería located at Libramiento 123 was reported on fire at 4:30 PM on Saturday, May 2. On arrival, firefighters attended to the fire at the building and two commercial trucks belonging to the cremería.
The State Attorney says the incident has not been ruled as a cartel attack or connected to the attacks on May 1 in Puerto Vallarta and 18 other municipalities in the state of Jalisco.
Eyewitnesses report a single person started the fire at the cremería, according to the State Attorney, however there are conflicting reports of three gunmen attacking the business owner and family tell another story. The cause of the fire at the cremería is still being investigated with many conflicting stories, however at this time, investigators and the state attorney have not yet ruled the fires as cartel related.
Earlier today there was also a report of a bomb threat at local nightclub Strana, which was investigated and ruled as a hoax. Strana posted on their Facebook that they intended to open with a full house Saturday night.
Other misreported facts today included a car attack on the Guadalajara-Colima highway. The car suffered mechanical problems and overheated resulting in engine fire that was reported as cartel activity. Also reports were made on May 2 of more gas station fires in Puerto Vallarta, those were inaccurate reports.
There were no confirmed reports today in the state of Jalisco on any attacks lead by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the group responsible for the May 1 activities around the state. As of May 4, the State Attorney office has yet to rule the cremeria fire as cartel related.
The activities on May 1 were the cartel’s response to the government’s highly guarded ‘Operation Jalisco’ plan to capture high-ranking cartel leaders. On Monday morning at 7 AM the operation began, the state says 18 people were arrested in the operation but have not released the names of the captured.
**UPDATE**
The cremería mentioned in the story below was owned by the mayor of Marcos Castellanos, Michoacan, Jesus Bautista Alvarez. Michoacan was controlled by . . .
