a rare phenomenon that subsided after the sharks dispersed. On 20 February 2009, a group of men in a pickup truck threw explosive devices at the installations of the Secretariat of Public Safety of the municipality of Zihuatanejo, resulting in five persons injured. The attack occurred at 7:45 pm near the municipal docks. At the time of the attack, the 56th Infantry Battalion had been stationed in Zihuatanejo, mostly to interdict the traffic in arms, drugs and stolen vehicles. The grenade attack on the security headquarters was followed by a highway ambush that killed four policemen. Kidnapping of Mexican citizens has been a problem here as well. In one instance four kidnapping victims were rescued by elements of the Mexican military and police, killing one suspect in the process. The town and its bay Town center The fishing town and resort of Zihuatanejo spreads out around the Bay of Zihuatanejo and inland toward the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains. The town is the seat of government for the municipality and the principal community in the region. Since the 1970s, it has been developed in conjunction with nearby Ixtapa, but conserving its traditional Mexican feel. The downtown is called "El Centro" and is located on the north end of the bay. The centro still has its narrow streets paved with stones or bricks. The town also has a long-standing community of Swiss and Italian immigrants. The heart of Zihuatanejo is the waterfront walkway Paseo del Pescador (Fisherman's Path), also called the malecón. This tree-lined pedestrian walkway goes along the municipal beach between the archeological museum and the fishing pier. It is lined with restaurants offering seafood and many other dishes, as well as a variety of stores selling rugs, arts and crafts and souvenirs, and a small shell market. In the evening, this area fills with people socializing. Instead of a traditional plaza, the center is a basketball court which is in front of the beach and serves as a point of reference. It is surrounded by benches and shade trees. Next to this are the gazebo and the Casa de la Cultura. These venues host music, concerts, cultural presentations, art shows. The main thoroughfare for cars is Juan Alvarez, a block behind the malecón. Sections of several of the main streets are designated pedestrian zones. The main church of the town, the Parish of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, is located