Bodies of 24 shooting victims found in Mexico

(CNN) -- The bodies of 24 people who were bound and shot execution-style were found Friday in the Mexican city of Atlapulco, according to Humberto Benitez, secretary-general of government in the State of Mexico.

A criminal investigation is now under way to determine if the killings were a result of organized crime, a news release from Mexico's attorney general said Friday.

Atlapulco is just south of Mexico City.

The killings come roughly two weeks after tens of thousands of Mexicans marched on the nation's capital calling for greater government action to prevent the wave of violent crime sweeping the country.

Non-governmental groups estimate there have been more than 1,500 killings in Mexico this year linked to organized crime.

In late August, Mexican President Felipe Calderon met with the country's 32 governors to develop a plan to battle the nation's alarming rise in violent crime.

-- CNN's Ariel Crespo in Mexico City contributed to this report.

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