MEXICO CITY , Mexico ( CNN ) -- Coordinated attacks in at least eight Mexican cities killed three federal police officers and two soldiers Saturday in what officials are calling an unprecedented onslaught by drug gangs . Attacks occurred after arrest of Arnoldo Rueda Medina , a high-ranking member of La Familia Michoacana . Another 18 federal officers were wounded , the state-run Notimex news agency reported , citing federal police official Rodolfo Cruz Lopez . The attacks were in retribution for the capture early Saturday of Arnoldo Rueda Medina , a high-ranking member of the drug cartel known as La Familia Michoacana ( The Michoacan Family ) , Notimex reported . Rueda is considered second in command to the group 's two top leaders , Nazario `` El Chayo '' Moreno González and José `` El Chango '' de Jesús Méndez Vargas , acting as a `` right arm '' to Moreno , the secretary of public security said Saturday in a statement . Among other allegations , he was arrested for his role in designing the hierarchy of the organization , the production of synthetic drugs and movement of marijuana and cocaine to the United States , said Mexico 's secretary of public security . Rueda was arrested along with a 17-year-old male who worked for him . Following his arrest Saturday morning in Morelia , Michoacan , men armed with high-powered rifles and grenades attacked the police station where he was being held , the Secretary of Public Security said . After failing to win his freedom , members of the group launched attacks in the cities of Morelia , Zitacuaro , Zamora , Lazaro Cardenas , Apatzingan , La Piedad and Huetamo in Michoacan state , Notimex news said , citing federal police . The three officers were killed in Zitacuaro , police official Eduardo Moran told CNN en Español , while six police officers were reported wounded in Morelia . Two soldiers were killed in Zamora , shot by men in a passing car as they walked to their headquarters . The Secretary of Public Security told the newspaper Cambio de Michoacan that 25 spent shells from an R-15 rifle and 17 from an AK-47 were found at the scene . Michoacan is in west-central Mexico , on the Pacific coast . Another rifle and grenade attack took place near Acapulco in Guerrero state , which borders Michoacan , but no one was injured . Saturday 's attacks came just days after a drug gang in Tijuana declared they were at war with police , threatening to kill five officers every week until Police Chief Julian Leyzaola resigns . The threat was made in a note found on the windshield of a slain officer 's car , news reports said . At least three Tijuana officers have been killed since Monday , reports said . Leyzaola , a former army colonel , replaced a police chief removed from office in December after receiving numerous threats . `` Leyzaola has become the poster boy for honest police work , which has put the drug gangs on notice , '' Vicente Calderon , a reporter for the Tijuana Press news agency , told CNN affiliate KUSI . `` They believe he is serious , that he means business and is trying to re-establish the rule of law that has been affecting the city and whole state for many years since organized crime established themselves in Baja [ California ] . '' Tijuana , the westernmost city in Mexico , is across the border from San Diego , California . Sixteen police officers have died there in 2009 , and officers are now patrolling the city in groups of six , KUSI reported . CNN 's Emanuella Grinberg and Monica Trevino contributed to this report .
NEW : Gang targets police station where Carlos Rueda Medina was being held . Attacks were retaliation for murder of member of La Familia gang . Series of coordinated attacks in at least eight cities . 3 federal agents , 2 soldiers . Officials call the coordinated attacks an unprecedented attack by drug lords .