Mexico City: A brutal gun attack at a local football ground in central Mexico claimed the lives of at least 11 people and left 12 others wounded on Sunday, triggering shock and condemnation from authorities and residents alike.
The shooting occurred in the violence-prone state of Guanajuato, which has consistently recorded the highest number of homicides in the country. Armed assailants stormed the playing area and opened fire on players and spectators, turning what should have been a routine sporting gathering into a scene of chaos and panic.
Emergency services rushed the injured to nearby hospitals, where several remain in critical condition. Security forces cordoned off the area as forensic teams collected evidence and launched a manhunt for those responsible.
Guanajuato has long been a hotspot for turf wars between organised crime groups, particularly the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, whose rivalry has fuelled persistent bloodshed across the region.
Reacting to the incident, the local mayor vowed that authorities would not be intimidated by criminal elements. “There are groups attempting to challenge the state and impose fear, but they will not succeed,” the mayor said, assuring residents that operations to restore peace would be intensified.
Despite the latest attack, federal data shows that Mexico’s national homicide rate in 2025 fell to 17.5 killings per 100,000 people — the lowest level in nearly a decade. However, security experts caution that such figures may not fully capture the scale of violence in certain high-risk areas, where criminal networks continue to operate with impunity.
Investigations into the motive and perpetrators behind Sunday’s shooting are ongoing.
