Gunmen kill Mexican police officer linked to arrest of 'El Chapo' son

Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Mexican police officer involved in the attempted arrest last month of drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's son was shot dead in a hail of gunfire, authorities said.

The officer, identified only as Eduardo N., was killed Wednesday by a group of armed men who police say ambushed him in a parking lot outside a shopping center in Culiacan, Sinaloa. Surveillance video shows a red sport-utility vehicle trailing the officer's car and parking next to it before they opened fire.

Police said more than 150 rounds were fired at the officer, who died immediately.

Eduardo carried his own gun, but wasn't able to defend himself, authorities said.

Officials say the attack could be related Eduardo's involvement in the attempted Oct. 17 arrest of Ovidio Guzman Lopez. Police said armed threats from an associated drug cartel forced officers to let Guzman Lopez go.

"This decision was taken to protect citizens," Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador later said. "You cannot fight fire with fire. We do not want deaths. We do not want war."

Eduardo wasn't directly involved in the attempted capture, but he did aid in the operation.