Dallas man among those stranded in Mexico due to cartel violence

Cartel violence traps Dallas man in Mexico

Mexican army units killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as El Mencho. Several Americans, including a Dallas man who spoke to FOX 4, are stuck in Mexico as violence in response to his shooting.

Several Americans, including a Dallas man who spoke to FOX 4, are stuck in Mexico as violence stemming from the killing of a cartel leader spills out into the streets near popular vacation hot spots.

Killing of "El Mencho"

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, aka "El Mencho"

The backstory:

On Sunday morning, Mexican army units attempted to capture Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as El Mencho, alive in the western state of Jalisco.

He was shot during the raid, and died on the way to a hospital.

U.S. leaders had offered a $15 million reward for El Mencho's arrest. The White House says they provided intelligence support as part of Mexico's operation.

Three additional cartel members were killed, three were wounded, and two were arrested, according to White House officials.

Cartel responds to killing

The other side:

In response to the killing, cartel members torched vehicles and blocked highways, tactics commonly used by cartels to block military operations.

Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus told residents to stay at home, suspended public transportation and said that the state was "living through critical hours."

The U.S. State Department warned U.S. citizens in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon to remain in safe places due to the ongoing security operations. 

Several airlines canceled flights in and around about a dozen western Mexico states.

Dallas man stuck in Puerto Vallarta

TJ Perry

What they're saying:

TJ Perry of Dallas was in Puerto Vallarta for a birthday party with friends. Perry was scheduled to fly home on Sunday, when his phone started to get active.

"We started receiving notifications of delayed flights all of a sudden, and basically everything was being put on a code red. I think that's the easiest way to kind of understand it, like a complete lockdown," Perry said.

He then went downstairs to the front desk.

"The manager was saying that there were some things involving the police here, and unfortunately, the cartel. And of course, we all have the internet, so we started to Google and try to figure out what was going on," he recalled.

Perry then looked outside.

"You could see smoke, kind of coming from the north area, all up in the sky. There's been cars basically lit on fire in regards to the retaliation that the cartel is doing," he explained.

Perry said seeing empty streets in one of Mexico's busiest tourist areas was "eerie," but that he and his group are staying inside the hotel and are safe. At this point, they do not know when they will be able to leave.

"Puerto Vallarta is just a beautiful place, and the culture here has always been amazing. So it's just very sad to, you know, kind of see all of this happening. So I would just say prayers for everyone here," he said.