The killing of 11 people at a community football match in Loma de Flores, Guanajuato, has shocked a town that promotes sport as a safeguard against cartel recruitment. The attackers arrived in at least three vehicles and reportedly opened fire for 15–20 minutes, killing 11 and wounding 10, including a woman and a minor. Authorities say the assault appears linked to a feud between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel; a joint state and federal security operation has been launched.
No Safe Haven: 11 Killed in Mass Shooting at Community Football Match in Guanajuato
A cartel turf war has been blamed for a massacre at a Mexican football ground which left 11 people dead and scores injured (Mario Armas)(Mario Armas/AFP/AFP)
Eleven people were killed and 10 others wounded when gunmen attacked a community football match in Loma de Flores, near Salamanca in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato. The assault on Sunday afternoon — an event attended by families and local teams — left the pitch stained with blood and the town reeling.
"We no longer know where to find peace," said Norma Barron, an organiser of the league and an activist who searches for missing people, speaking to AFP. Barron was out of state when the attack began; her adult son, who was at the match, phoned her in panic as gunfire erupted.
Witnesses told reporters the gunmen arrived in at least three vehicles and that the shooting lasted roughly 15 to 20 minutes. Players' clothing, discarded beer cans and candles were left on the turf, and several cars were abandoned nearby as people fled in terror.
Settling Of Scores
Authorities said the attack appears to be a settling of scores between rival criminal groups. Among the dead were at least five employees of a private security company charged with guarding the venue and checking spectators for weapons. A federal security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said those guards were targeted because their employer is alleged to be linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Officials suspect the attackers were members of the rival Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, which has long clashed with the CJNG over fuel theft, drug trafficking and extortion rackets in Guanajuato. Cardboard signs found at the scene reportedly referenced the dispute between the groups. Investigations into motive and responsibility are ongoing.
Relentless Violence In Guanajuato
The massacre underscored the persistence of cartel violence in Guanajuato, a prosperous industrial state that has also become one of Mexico’s deadliest. President Claudia Sheinbaum has pointed to a national drop in the homicide rate since taking office in October 2024, but Guanajuato’s homicide rate remains well above the national average — reported at about 38.84 per 100,000.
The state has seen other brutal attacks on recreational venues in recent years, including a December 2023 assault on a Christmas party and an April 2023 shooting at a swimming-pool gathering. In response to the latest massacre, Governor Libia Garcia announced a joint state and federal security operation in the area on Monday.
Local and federal authorities have confirmed 11 fatalities and 10 wounded, including a woman and a minor. Officials continue to investigate, and more details are expected as forensic work and interviews with witnesses proceed.
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