Gun shots at U.S Consulate in Monterrey Mexico

México, D.F., 16 de octubre de 2008  --  “Se me ha informado que por la mañana de hoy se hicieron disparos en las inmediaciones del Consulado General de los Estados Unidos en Monterrey, a tan sólo unos días de que se registró un incidente de seguridad en esa misión diplomática, y a menos de 24 horas de mi visita a esa localidad para inspeccionar personalmente sobre ese acontecimiento.

Mexican police swarmed around the building in the city of Monterrey and U.S. federal investigators scoured the area for evidence. Unknown gunmen shot at the building over the weekend and threw a grenade that did not explode.

The consulate, which processes immigrant visas for Mexicans and provides services to U.S. citizens in Mexico, is expected to reopen on Friday, the official said.

Monterrey, a manufacturing and services city close to the U.S. border, saw a surge in violence involving drug gangs in 2007 but has been calm this year despite spiraling turf wars between drug cartels across Mexico in which some 3,725 people have died in 2008 alone.