MEXICO CITY, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Mexico on Sunday blamed organized crime for the killing of Carlos Manzo Rodriguez, mayor of Uruapan in the western state of Michoacan.

Omar Garcia Harfuch, a senior security officer, said the mayor's death during a public event Saturday night was linked to clashes between rival criminal groups operating in the region.

Garcia Harfuch vowed to bring those responsible to justice, noting that Manzo Rodriguez had been assigned protective measures in December 2024, with protection reinforced in May this year.

"Unfortunately, the attackers took advantage of the vulnerability of a public event to carry out the attack," he said.

Security forces killed the gunman at the scene, he said.

Michoacan, a major producer of avocados and other crops, has long struggled with violence tied to organized crime, prompting the government to deploy military forces in the region, the official added.