Cartel gunmen free El Chapo's son from police

After a son of drug lord 'El Chapo' was captured in Mexico Thursday (October 17) heavily armed cartel gunman managed to free him from authorities.

Gunfire roared through the city of Culican with chaotic gun battles in broad daylight.

Scores of fighters swarmed through the city set fire to cars and engaging in shootouts with police and the military.

Officials told local TV that a number of people were killed and several were injured.

Mexico's Security Minister Alfonso Durazo says gunmen overwhelmed security forces and they gave up Ovidio Guzman to prevent loss of life.

"A force of 30 national guard militarized police were conducting a routine patrol when they were attacked from a home. Patrol personnel repelled the assault and took control of the house, locating four occupants inside. At this time, one of them was identified as Ovido Guzman Lopez. This led to several organized criminal groups surrounding the house with a force greater than that of the patrol."

Sinaloa state officials confirmed that as the mayhem unfolded a jail break also took place.

Culican has long been a stronghold of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's Sinaloa cartel.

He led the cartel for decades before his capture and sentencing to life in U.S. prison for smuggling tons of drugs.

The chaotic reaction to his son's capture was on a scale rarely seen in Mexico's drug war, even compared to his more famous father's arrests.

It will likely heap pressure on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office last year promising to tame drug violence.