Vigilantes Seize Town in Mexico After Leader's Murder In Tierra Colorada, Why Are They Arresting Police?

Residents of a small Mexican town took matters into their own hands when armed "vigilantes" -- literally, "watchers" -- detained police officers and set up checkpoints along the main road that crosses the town.

This "community police," as they call themselves, have taken the tourist town of Tierra Colorada, which sits on the highway connecting Mexico City with Acapulco. They have arrested 12 police members and the former director of public security in the town after a leader of the vigilante movement was killed on Monday.

Guadalupe Quinones Carbajal, who was 28-years-old when he died, was killed under orders of the security director on behalf of local organized crime groups, said the vigilantes.

"We have besieged the municipality, because here criminals operate with impunity in broad daylight, in view of municipal authorities. We have detained the director of public security because he is involved with criminals and he knows who killed our commander," said Bruno Plácido Valerio, a spokesman for the vigilante group.

Aside from seizing police officers, over 1,500 vigilantes have positioned themselves in the highway and reportedly shot fire at a tourist car who refused to stop at a roadblock. The group is armed with assault rifles that are believed to come from the ex-security director's car.

The movement of "self-defense" vigilante group has been growing considerably in southern and western Mexico, stopping passing motorists to search for weapons or people whose names are on hand-written lists of "suspects" wanted for theft or extortion.

Members of the group said they fight violence, kidnapping and extortions, but concerns have been raised that vigilantes might be violating the law or even cooperating with criminals in some cases.