14 DAY TRIAL // A young Mexican beauty queen, Maria Susana Flores Gamez, aged just 20, was shot and killed over the weekend, police authorities have confirmed for CNN.
A shootout between military troops and supposed drug traffickers took place in Sinaloa, a province known for the acts of violence perpetrated there, with the beauty queen caught in the crossfire.
The group of criminals opened fire on a military patrol, which later chased and had them cornered in Mocorito, where the shootout ensued.
According to the authorities, Gamez may have not been innocent. She was riding with the supposed drug traffickers and a shotgun was found by her side in the car where her body was discovered lifeless.
Police believe she may have participated in the shootout herself. For the time being, the identity of her shooter is yet to be established, but an investigation is currently underway.
“All we know is that it happened during a confrontation that the army had with criminals, and that she was with the group of criminals,” a spokesperson for the police says.
“Four people were detained, he said, and authorities seized various weapons, drugs and vehicles. Flores Gamez was a student of communications. She was crowned Woman of Sinaloa in February, beating more than a dozen young woman for the tile,” CNN further reports.
Pageant officials also issued a statement in the wake of Gamez’s death, saying they would have never imagined her involved in such criminal activities. She simply did not seem to be the kind who would do that.
“We are dismayed by the news – a beautiful young person, happy, and with a big future ahead of her. Rest in peace Susy,” the say.
Gamez is the second beauty queen from Sinaloa to make headlines for criminal activities: in 2008, Laura Zuniga was arrested after being caught in a car packed with weapons, ammunition, drugs and money. She was released at a later date.