At least 11 people were killed and 12 others injured after gunmen opened fire at a soccer field in central Mexico’s Guanajuato state on Sunday, authorities confirmed. The attack occurred in the city of Salamanca, when armed assailants arrived at the venue shortly after a soccer match had concluded and indiscriminately fired at those present. Ten victims died at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries later at a hospital.

Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto described the incident as part of a growing “crime wave” affecting the city and said that a woman and a minor were among those wounded in the shooting. In a statement shared on social media, the mayor appealed directly to President Claudia Sheinbaum, urging federal intervention to restore security and prevent further bloodshed in the violence-hit region.

The Guanajuato state prosecutor’s office said it has launched a full investigation into the attack and is working closely with federal authorities to strengthen security measures in and around Salamanca. Guanajuato has remained one of Mexico’s most violent states, recording the highest homicide total in the country last year. The region has been a battleground for rival criminal organisations, particularly the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, whose turf wars have repeatedly spilled into public spaces.

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“Unfortunately, there are criminal groups trying to subjugate authorities—something they are not going to achieve,” Mayor Prieto said, reaffirming the local government’s commitment to confronting organised crime. Security forces have reportedly increased patrols in the area following the attack, as residents express growing fear over the frequency and brutality of such incidents.

While Mexico’s federal government has stated that the national murder rate in 2025 fell to its lowest level since 2016—at 17.5 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants—security analysts caution that official statistics may not fully capture the scale of violence in certain regions. The deadly shooting in Salamanca underscores the persistent challenges facing Mexican authorities as they grapple with entrenched criminal networks and their impact on civilian life.

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