The shootouts occurred within four hours of each other. In the first, on Avenida Lazaro Cardenas near the Navy base, a man fired off more than ten rounds at a house. Police searched the property and found three kilograms of marijuana in a metal canister.

Later, police responded to reports of a shootout among five vehicles in Colonia Aurora.  Several cars believed to have been used in the incident were later found in other parts of the city.

Following the second incident, Bravo sought the help of the Army, which set up road blocks on the perimeter of Vallarta.