Mass shooting hits Mexico, killing several people

Eight people died in a weekend shooting in Mexico's Morelos state, adjacent to Mexico City, authorities reported on Sunday.

The attack occurred Saturday in the municipality of Huitzilac, off a highway connecting the capital with the tourist town of Cuernavaca.

Four people died on the scene while four others died after being taken to the hospital, the Morelos prosecutor's office said.

Morelos is a popular vacation destination for Mexico City residents, although it borders restive Guerrero state, where various drug cartels operate.

In November of last year, an armed confrontation between police and alleged criminals left nine dead in Cuernavaca.

Around 450,000 people have been murdered across the country since 2006, when the government launched a controversial anti-drug offensive involving the military, according to official figures.