National Geographic journalist shot while interviewing purported drug dealer in Mexico – USA TODAY, USA Today

A National Geographic journalistwas shot Friday while interviewing a drug dealer in Juárez, Mexico, the Chihuahua attorney general’s office said.

In a news release on its website, the office said the journalist was interviewing the drug dealer around 7: 30 p.m. at an address identified as a place where drugs were sold. A team was recording the interview when armed men from a rival drug-trafficking group arrived and opened fire, killing the person who was being interviewed, officials said.

The journalist was taken to a hospital with a bullet wound to the leg.

Three other people from what the office called an “international organization” who were at the interview were placed under the protection of the attorney general’s office, officials said.

The Chihuahua attorney general’s office said the reporting team previously had been at the state attorney general’s office, where they were given information for their report. However, they did not tell officials of their plan to conduct an interview at the site of the drug sales.

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Officials said the address is on Calle Cerró de la Mesa and Ciénega de los Olivos of the Valle de los Olivos subdivision , where two members of a crime group recently were killed. Officials said the area was searched a few months ago.

Officials said Chihuahua state authorities are searching for the gunmen.

Mexico is the most dangerous country for journalists in the Western Hemisphere. The Committee to Protect Journalists says five journalists have been killed in the country this year.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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