A brazen attack at a bar in central Mexico left seven people dead and five others severely wounded early Saturday, according to local police.

The shooting occurred in the city of Tula, approximately 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Mexico City, an area where criminal groups linked to fuel theft are known to operate.

Authorities said four victims were found dead inside the La Resaka bar, located in a working-class neighborhood of Tula. Three others died later in hospital while receiving treatment for critical injuries.

According to witness accounts provided to police, a group of armed men stormed the establishment in the early hours of the morning and opened fire on patrons without warning. Federal and state security forces launched a rapid deployment operation in response to the attack, but no suspects have yet been apprehended.

The Hidalgo State Security Bureau reported that tensions between rival criminal factions had been detected in Tula in the days leading up to the shooting. Local media suggested that the violence may be connected to internal disputes triggered by the recent arrest of an alleged local gang leader.

Hidalgo state has seen criminal activity tied to fuel theft operations—known locally as huachicol—but mass killings of this scale are relatively rare in the region.

Mexico continues to grapple with widespread organized crime violence, much of it linked to drug trafficking and territorial disputes. Since the federal government launched a sweeping anti-cartel campaign in 2006, an estimated 480,000 people have been killed and more than 120,000 reported missing, according to official figures.

Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant as investigations into the Tula attack continue. (ILKHA)