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French scientist shot near Mexico City airport dies

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-01 13:10

MEXICO CITY -- A French scientist shot in the head by armed robbers near the Mexico City airport earlier this week has died, the French embassy in Mexico said.

Christopher Augur was followed by robbers and shot Tuesday after he changed 4,800 euros (about $6,500 ) in a currency exchange office at the airport and headed back to the city.

Augur, who died at a city hospital Saturday, was not the first victim to be shot at the Mexican airport.

The 55-year-old scientist had been in the country for three months, collaborating with a Mexican university on a biotechnology project.

The French ambassador to Mexico, Daniel Parfait, has condemned the assault and asked the Mexican government to punish the killers.

Mexican police said Friday they had detained two suspects in the shooting, aged 19 and 29.

Assistant city prosecutor Luis Vasquez said a total of 17 such robberies of people leaving the Mexican capital's airport have been reported since March 2008. The attacks appear to be the work of two or more gangs, or one organization with several cells.

The victims in four of the cases were foreigners, Vasquez said.

Victims in all the attacks were apparently followed in vehicles after they exchanged currency at the airport and robbed outside the terminal, he said.

Police plan to question the employees of the currency exchange in connection with the robbery.