MEXICO CITY, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A group of gunmen attacked a funeral home in Fresnillo in the north-central Mexican state of Zacatecas Sunday night, causing six deaths and 17 injuries, according to the local government.

The attack took place around 10 p.m. local time (0300 GMT) on Sunday when several armed men fired at a group of mourners holding vigil for a 17-year-old who was gunned down Saturday night outside a local bar.

Zacatecas' public safety office said in a statement that five people died minutes after the attack and a sixth person died in hospital Monday morning.

The 17 wounded were sent to several local hospitals, with one of them in critical condition.

Search for the attackers is underway in the city.

Preliminary investigation by the local prosecutors' office indicated that the 17-year-old was arrested in June for having 80 doses of the synthetic drug crystal. He was charged with crimes against health in the form of selling drugs, ordered to stand trial and prohibited from leaving the city.

Since 2016, Zacatecas has witnessed violence and increasing homicides which the local government attributes to local organized crime rings.