Three killed in shooting near LMB game

Three gunman were killed and a fourth was captured by police following a shootout outside a game involving Saraperos de Saltillo, a Mexican League team, on Tuesday.

Players and fans took cover when gunshots rang out in the parking lot of Abraham Curbelo Park in Saltillo during an exhibition game. No fans or players were reported injured in the incident, which is believed to have been linked to local drug violence.

Sergio Sisbeles, a state security spokesman, told the Associated Press that the fighting broke out after gunmen opened fire on a state police patrol on a street near the stadium while the Saraperos were playing an exhibition match against a local youth team.

Photos showed players taking cover in the dugouts and on the infield.

According to the AP, the team's bus appeared to have multiple bullet holes. Police seized three rifles and a vehicle after the battle.

The Mexican League did not release a statement on the incident but confirmed that at least two bullets went through the windshield of Saltillo's team bus, which was unoccupied during the fight. The league said the incident took place roughly 50 meters from the stadium, and the game was cancelled.

"Two bullets reached the windshield of the bus, which was empty at the time of the event," said Gabriel Medina, the Mexican League's media coordinator. "The bus transported the players to Abraham Curbelo Stadium in Saltillo City, where they were playing a training game. The fans and players, there were no people injured."

Saltillo is a Triple-A team in the Mexican League, a circuit affiliated with Minor League Baseball but not with any Major League organizations. The Mexican League's regular season begins play on Friday, with Satillo holding its home opener on Sunday.

Saltillo is the capital of the northeastern Mexican border state of Coahuila, an area that has seen previous violence involving warring drug cartels.