Update: Death toll at Mexican gay party rises to 18

By Celeste Lavin, 365gay.com

The death toll from Sunday’s shooting at a party in Mexico that was organized by a gay group has now risen to 18 men and women.

A Mexican gay group on Facebook organized a birthday party in the northern city of Torreón that was advertised as open to all.

The party was met with violence when gunmen entered the event, blocked the exits, and without speaking, opened fire on the partygoers.

While many of the guests were gay and the event itself was organized by a gay group, the Mexican government said the incident was related to drug cartel violence rather than anti-gay hate crime, reports the LA Times.

It was reported as one of the highest single-incident death tolls since President Felipe Calderon initiated the drug war in 2006, which has claimed approximately 25,000 deaths over the last four years.

The Mexican federal government condemned the gunmen’s actions, calling the massacre a violent tactic used by organized crime to intimidate the populace.

Gun violence throughout Mexico, particularly the northern border states like Coahuila, which includes the city of Torreón, has increased since Calderon called a military offensive to address the drug war. Shootings in public spaces such as bars and clubs are now regular occurrences in regions dominated by drug cartels.