Mexico: Roberto Toledo shot by armed men; fourth journalist killed in one month

Mexican journalist Roberto Toledo was shot dead by three armed men on Monday, becoming the fourth journalist to be killed in the country in less than a month, AP reported citing the media outlet's director. Toledo was shot dead by three armed men on Monday afternoon in a car parking in Zitacuaro, The Guardian reported. The Michoacan State Attorney's Office in a statement informed that Toledo succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Prosecutors have informed that they have begun the investigation in the case in Zitacuaro. 

According to Monitor Michoacan Director Armando Linares, Roberto Toledo had reached the law offices of the deputy director of the outlet, Monitor Michoacan, when the three gunmen shot him. Armando Linares added that twenty minutes before the attack, he had told him by phone about meeting him at the office to interview a person, as per the AP report. Linares further stated that he got held up and could not reach the spot while Toledo arrived there before he arrived there. Roberto Toledo was shooting a video column by Monitor Michoacan's deputy director, Joel Vera, a local lawyer, at Vera's office when the gunmen reached the spot to shoot him. 

Monitor Michoacan website received death threats: Armando Linares

Armando Linares informed that Roberto Toledo has been working with Monitor Michoacan for two years. Announcing the death of a journalist in a video message, Linares insisted that their website was receiving death threats. He added that they have been reporting on corrupt administration and corrupt officials and insisted that it resulted in the death of one colleague.

Jan-Albert Hootsen, the Mexico representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, has stated that Roberto Toledo worked as a camera operator and video editor for Monitor Michoacan and they are classifying him as a "media or press worker", as per the AP report. The death of Roberto Toledo follows the death of Margarito Martinez, Lourdes Maldonado Lopez and  Luis Gamboa who were killed earlier in January in Mexico.

“For exposing corrupt administrations and corrupt officials and politicians, today that led to to death of one of our colleagues,” Armando Linares said as per AP.

“The Monitor Michoacan team has suffered weeks, months of death threats. We know where all of this comes from,” Armando Linares added.

(Inputs from AP)