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Police Probed In Stampede

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 23, 2008

MEXICO CITY - Mexico City's Human Rights Commission cited evidence Sunday that police might have partly blocked the exit at a nightclub where a stampede killed 12 people, including a 13-year-old girl.
Police officers responding to reports of drug and alcohol violations raided the News Devine club Friday evening.

Panicked revelers piled up in a deadly crush at a narrow exit trying to escape.

"There are photographs and witness testimony that police were posted at the exit, and that this created a blockage - a sandwich effect is what one of the witnesses called it," said Emilio Alvarez Icaza, head of the rights commission. "The police formed up along the length of the staircase, which was both the exit and entrance and which was already pretty narrow."

The city's Public Safety Department said it is looking into the allegations, but it had no immediate comment.

About 500 young people - more than the nightclub's capacity - had packed the bar to celebrate the end of the school year, police said. Three teens - ages 13, 14 and 16 - were among nine students and employees asphyxiated in the crush. Three police officers also died.

The Associated Press

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