At least nine people were killed outside a forensic morgue early Tuesday in northern Honduras, media sources reported.
The victims of the shooting in the northern city of San Pedro Sula were reportedly waiting for the body of a murdered family member to be handed over by the morgue. Among the victims of the shooting, which occurred around 4 am local time (1000 GMT), were two employees of the funeral home where the body was to be taken.
Five of the victims were members of the same family, Terrero Piedi, who were waiting for the body of Jose Luis Terrero Piedi, who was killed Monday night in the city of Puerto Cortes, where the family resides.
Several masked men aboard two trucks drove to the site and opened fire on the family. One of the funeral home employees tried to run away, but was pursued by one of the trucks and gunned down.
The head of the San Pedro Sula forensic medical center, Hector Hernandez, told reporters "the information I have from the private security guards is that a group of people were waiting outside the morgue, waiting to be handed over the body. Apparently two vehicles drove up with individuals wearing balaclavas opened fire on the group."
According to the Violence Watchdog at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, the homicide rate in 2013 was 83 per 100, 000 people.