MEXICO CITY (CN) - Gunmen shot and killed Ximena Guzman, personal secretary to Mexico City's mayor, Clara Brugada, and Brugada's security advisor, Jose Munoz, on Tuesday while their car was parked on a busy avenue in southern Mexico City. Clara Brugada was not in the vehicle.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's Tuesday morning press conference was interrupted by Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexico's Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection of Mexico, after he received a phone call relaying the tragic news.

"We are receiving some information and in ten, 15 minutes, we will confirm," said Sheinbaum during the press conference.

Later in the day, in a somber press conference, Clara Brugada expressed her condolences to the victims' families and friends.

"Our souls hurt. In the cabinet we are deeply appalled and in mourning. I hug with my heart their families, friends and companions in this struggle. We will not rest until justice is done," Brugada said. "As the mayor of Mexico City, I address the residents of the capital to assure them that this government will continue its relentless fight against insecurity and that the entire government is continuing to work intensely to the transformation of this great city."

The Secretariat of Citizen Security and the Attorney General's Office of Mexico City began a full investigation into the double murder with help from the federal government.

"There will be no impunity. All areas of this institution work with the Mexico City Prosecutor's Office and the federal authorities to shed light on this case and find those responsible. We send our most sincere condolences to their family and friends," wrote Pablo Vasquez, Mexico City's head of security wrote Tuesday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A security video released to the media of the shooting shows a black car parked on the shoulder of the avenue. A man in a white jacket and motorcycle helmet is seen waiting by the side of the car. He stands in front of the car and shoots into the car and then again at Munoz who was on his way to enter the car.

In an interview with Mexican media, a witness said he realized the seriousness of the crime when more and more police cars arrived. He said that a police officer must have either recognized one of the victims or noted their government badge.

On Tuesday afternoon, authorities found an abandoned navy blue van and motorcycle they believe is linked to the murders.

The two victims had a long history with Brugada and were considered part of her closest inner circle.

Guzman worked as Clara Brugada's personal secretary since 2023, when Brugada was the head of government of Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough.

Munoz also worked under Clara Brugada while she was head of government of Iztapalapa as the Municipal Public Coordinator. The two reconnected when Brugada became the mayor of Mexico City in 2024.

This is the highest-profile attack in the country's capital since then-police chief, Garcia Harfuch was attacked in June 2020, also in broad daylight while driving down Mexico City's main avenue, Avenida Reforma.

Harfuch blamed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel for the attack, which quickly prompted raids on criminal enterprises throughout the capital.

This attack ads to a recent spate of murders in the country. Two security experts were killed on Monday in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Cesar Guzman Gonzalez and Carlos Amador Chavela were murdered after giving training courses to police officers.

Social media influencer, Valeria Marquez was murdered while livestreaming on TikTok on May 15 also in Jalisco.

On April 16, Ramon Grande Moncada, a municipal police chief was killed in Jalisco.

Source: Courthouse News Service