Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico - A Mexican journalist who reported on security issues was murdered on Thursday in a drive-by shooting in the central state of Puebla where he worked, the local government announced.

Josué Martínez was the director of "Noticias San Martin Texmelucan," a publication covering security and major events in his area, the journalists' advocacy group Article 19 said, calling for his death to be investigated.

It is expected that Martínez's work exposing security issues in the state of Puebla is likely linked with the motive of his shooter.

The Puebla state government condemned the killing, and called on prosecutors to launch a probe in order to find those responsible.

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Local media reported that Martínez was shot dead near his home by two assailants on a motorcycle. He was near his son, who called the police and emergency services.

Martínez, sometimes referred to as "The Jaguar," was a lawyer by training, but pivoted to journalism.

He was not the first journalist to die in Mexico this month. In early July, Roxana Guzman, the director of a local media outlet who had been kidnapped from her home in mid-June, was found dead in the eastern state of Veracruz.

Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to practice journalism, with more than 150 media professionals killed since 1994, according to Reporters without Borders.

"With great sorrow, the San Martín Texmelucan News team reports the regrettable loss of our General Director and friend, Josué Martínez C," San Martín Texmelucan News said in a statement posted to social media in Spanish.

"He was a great human being who showed by example that supporting others should always be one of our goals and priorities in life."