At least 7 killed in central Mexico bar attack: police

Four people were found dead at the scene while three more died while receiving medical care after the shooting in Tula, around 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of the capital Mexico City, according to a police report.

Armed men had stormed the La Resaka bar, located in a working-class neighborhood of the city, early on Saturday, witnesses told police.

Federal and state security forces launched an operation but have yet to apprehend any suspects.

Gangs involved in the trafficking of stolen fuel are known to operate in Hidalgo state, where Tula is located, but such mass killings are uncommon.

The Hidalgo State Security Bureau said it had detected disputes between rival gangs in Tula prior to the attack.

Local media reported that internal disputes erupted following the arrest of a alleged local gang leader.

Criminal violence, most of it linked to drug trafficking, has claimed around 480,000 lives in Mexico since the beginning of a cartel crackdown in 2006, with more than 120,000 people missing.