12 Killed During Mass Shooting At Religious Festival In Gang-Ridden Mexican City, 20 Injured

Last Updated:June 26, 2025, 07:25 IST

A 17-year-old was killed alongside eight adult men and two women during celebrations marking the Nativity of John the Baptist.

The bullet-riddled house where gunmen opened fire. (Reuters)

At least 12 people, including a teenager, were killed and 20 others were wounded during a mass shooting at a religious festival in a central Mexican city plagued by gang-related violence, according to authorities on Wednesday.

The incident took place in the city of Irapuato in Guanajuato state during celebrations marking the Nativity of John the Baptist. Videos on social media showed people dancing at a housing complex before gunfire erupted.

A 17-year-old was among those killed, along with eight adult men and two women, the Guanajuato state prosecutor’s office said, vowing that the crime would not go unpunished. Security forces are searching for the perpetrators of the “cowardly act".

“It was chaos. People put the wounded into their cars and rushed to the hospital to try to save them," a witness told AFP. Guanajuato state Governor Libia Dennise condemned the bloodshed and expressed solidarity with the victims.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the shooting as “deplorable," adding that authorities had launched an investigation. She described the incident as a “confrontation" without giving details about the circumstances or the victims.

Guanajuato, a thriving business hub and home to popular tourist destinations, has also been one of the most violent regions in Mexico, where criminal groups fight over routes to price drugs and commit other crimes. More than 3,000 murders were recorded last year, as per official figures.

Since 2006, criminal violence – largely driven by drug trafficking – has resulted in approximately 480,000 deaths in Mexico and left more than 120,000 people missing. Much of the violence is linked to the conflict between the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation cartel.

Last month, seven people were killed in a shooting that targeted a party organized by the Catholic Church in San Bartolo de Berrios, Guanajuato.

(with inputs from agencies)

Mexico City, Mexico

News world 12 Killed During Mass Shooting At Religious Festival In Gang-Ridden Mexican City, 20 Injured