Car Bomb Kills Five, Including Three Police Officers, Outside Michoacán Station

Mexican authorities reported that a car exploded outside the police headquarters in Coahuayana, Michoacán, on Saturday shortly before noon, killing at least five people and injuring three others. Mexico's Attorney General's Office has taken over the investigation.

Casualties and scene: The state prosecutor's office initially reported three deaths but later revised the toll to five, confirming that three of the deceased were local police officers. Héctor Zepeda, commander of the community police, said the blast was so powerful that human remains were scattered at the scene.

Method and context: Criminal groups in the region have increasingly used explosives—dropped from drones, buried like mines or hidden along roads—though bombs placed inside vehicles remain less common. Michoacán is contested by multiple organized crime groups, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), United Cartels and the New Michoacán Family, as well as several local splinter groups; some of these are believed to receive backing from the Sinaloa Cartel.

Local security forces: The force targeted in Coahuayana is one of several community police groups that emerged over a decade ago during a civilian self-defense movement against cartels. Those groups were later formalized by the state, but in some areas they have been infiltrated by criminal elements.

Broader repercussions: The explosion occurred while Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla was attending an event in Mexico City with President Claudia Sheinbaum. The attack highlights long-standing security challenges in Michoacán, which is a key gateway for chemical precursors used to make synthetic drugs and a region where extortion and other illicit businesses are widespread.

Related incidents: The state has seen high-profile violence in recent months, including the killing of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, which prompted days of youth-led protests and clashes with police, and the murder of Bernardo Bravo, a prominent leader of lime growers who had denounced extortion by organized crime.

The investigation is ongoing and federal authorities are coordinating with local officials for forensic work and security assessments.