Gunmen open fire in a bar in Mexico, killing at least 10 people, including three women

Gunmen pulled up in a truck outside a bar in central Mexico and opened fire. Authorities said they killed 10 people in an area spared from the country's worst criminal violence.

The attack on the Los Cantaritos bar in downtown Queretaro left 10 people dead and at least seven injured, according to the city's public security chief, Juan Luis Ferrusca.

“Emergency services arrived at the scene and confirmed that at least four individuals armed with long guns had arrived aboard a pickup truck,” Ferrusca said in a video on social media.

A suspect was arrested and the vehicle used in the attack was found abandoned and set on fire, he said, adding that there were no reports of similar incidents in the city.

The victims included three women, according to the Queretaro public prosecutor's office. Forensic experts examined the crime scene and the vehicle.

Queretaro, the capital of Queretaro state, is considered one of the safer cities in Mexico, which has been plagued by drug cartel-related violence for years.

The city is located about 120 miles northwest of Mexico City and is known for its Spanish colonial architecture.

Since 2006, more than 450,000 people have been murdered in Mexico in rising violence, much of it linked to drug trafficking and gangs.

earlier this month Gunmen stormed a hospital in the central city of Atlixco in the state of Puebla. They attacked and killed a man recovering from a gunshot wound. They shot him more than ten times before fleeing. Two police officers were also killed.

Atlixco, a popular tourist destination, welcomes thousands of visitors for the Day of the Dead.

Since 2006, more than 450,000 people have been murdered in Mexico in rising violence, much of it linked to drug trafficking and gangs.

Dealing with the murders and kidnappings that are common in Mexico is one of the president's biggest challenges Claudia Sheinbaum.

The former mayor of Mexico City, who became the country's first female president on October 1, has ruled out a “declaration of war” against drug cartels.

Instead, she has promised to continue her predecessor's strategy of fighting crime at its roots through social policy while making better use of intelligence. Sheinbaum also carefully avoided using the “hugs not bullets” slogan popularized by her predecessor and mentor López Obrador.

The northwestern cartel stronghold of Sinaloa has seen a rise in violence since the arrest of drug lord Ismael Zambada in the United States in July sparked a wave of infighting between gangs.

There has also been an uptick in bloodshed in the southern state of Guerrero, the scene of long-running gang wars.

Authorities said The bodies of 11 people were found on Thursdayincluding two minors, were found abandoned in a pickup truck in the state capital Chilpancingo.

They were among a group of 17 people – reportedly traveling merchants – who were reported missing last month.

The highway they were found on is also the main route between Mexico City and the resort town of Acapulco.