Catholic priest and Indigenous activist Pérez killed by 2 gunmen in southern Mexico

TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) — Catholic priest Marcelo Pérez, an activist for Indigenous peoples and farm laborers in southern Mexico, was killed on Sunday.

The prosecutors' office in the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, in the state of Chiapas, said the religious leader was shot dead by two gunmen when he was in his van.

Pérez was a member of the Tzotzil Indigenous people and had just finished serving a Mass when he was attacked. He served the community for two decades and was known as a negotiator in conflicts in a mountainous region of Chiapas where crime, violence and land disputes are rife.

Pérez also led several marches against violence, which has brought him several death threats.

Chipas Gov. Rutilio Escandón posted on X that he condemned "the cowardly assassination of father Marcelo Pérez.

“We will collaborate with all the authorities so his death doesn't go unpunished and those guilty face the courts,” Escandón said.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

People attend a mass next to the coffin of Catholic priest Marcelo Perez, who was killed in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas state, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

People gather around an altar where Catholic priest Marcelo Perez was killed in an armed attack after attending mass at a church in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas state, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

A tunic lies on the coffin of Catholic priest Marcelo Perez, who was killed in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas state, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

Soldiers, National Guards and police cordon off the site where Catholic priest Marcelo Perez was killed in an armed attack after attending mass at a church in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas state, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

People carry the coffin of Catholic priest Marcelo Perez, who was killed in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas state, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

A man prays in front of an altar where Catholic priest Marcelo Perez was killed in an armed attack after attending mass at a church in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas state, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

People gather around an altar where Catholic priest Marcelo Perez was killed in an armed attack after attending mass at a church in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas state, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

People carry the coffin of Catholic priest Marcelo Perez, who was killed in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas state, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Southern Mississippi football coach Will Hall was fired Sunday after a 1-6 start to his fourth season and assistant head coach Reed Stringer was named interim coach for the rest of the season.

Hall was 14-30 following a 44-28 home loss to Arkansas State. The Golden Eagles' only win this season was against Southeastern Louisiana of the second-tier Football Championship Subdivision.

"We are grateful to Will and his family for their dedication to Southern Miss over the past four years,” Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain said. “Will poured his heart and soul into this program and into shaping these young men. Unfortunately, the results on the field didn’t align with our shared goals and expectations.”

Hall has deep ties to the state. He grew up in Amory, the son of a longtime Mississippi high school coach and was a two-time junior-college All-America quarterback at Northwest Mississippi. He transferred to North Alabama and won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the top player in Division II.

Hall had been offensive coordinator at Tulane for two years when Southern Miss hired him following the 2020 season.

The Golden Eagles improved from 3-9 in 2021 to 7-6 with a bowl win the next season. Southern Miss slipped to 3-9 last year with one of its wins against an FCS opponent, prompting Hall to hire new offensive and defensive coordinators. The Eagles are last in the Sun Belt in scoring (18.3 ppg) and second to last in scoring defense (34.1 ppg).

Southern Miss has lost nine of 11 Sun Belt Conference games since last year.

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FILE - Southern Mississippi head coach Will Hall, left, walks back to the sideline after arguing with a referee in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Florida State Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears, File)