In a shocking incident, seven young individuals lost their lives in a brutal shooting during a Catholic Church festivity in San Bartolo de Berrios, Guanajuato. The attack occurred early on Monday as gunmen targeted attendees remaining in the village’s central square after the event. Eyewitness accounts describe the assailants driving into the square and indiscriminately firing dozens of shots.
While authorities have not disclosed a clear motive, messages left at the scene suggest involvement from the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel. Importantly, such violence at a church event is rare compared to attacks usually seen in nightclubs or bars. The Episcopal Conference of Mexico condemned the shooting, emphasizing the need for action against the escalating violence impacting many communities.
Local Archbishop Jaime Calderón attributed the incident to tensions between rival cartels fighting for territorial control in an area that reported the highest murder rate in Mexico for 2024. The region has seen increasing violence, with both the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel vying for dominance, often leading to horrific public displays of power, like this recent assault.
Residents reported hearing around 100 rounds fired, leading to a scene likened to "a bloodbath" in the central square. As of now, no arrests have been made, and the ongoing violence raises fears within the community, highlighting the pervasive influence of drug cartels in everyday life.
While authorities have not disclosed a clear motive, messages left at the scene suggest involvement from the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel. Importantly, such violence at a church event is rare compared to attacks usually seen in nightclubs or bars. The Episcopal Conference of Mexico condemned the shooting, emphasizing the need for action against the escalating violence impacting many communities.
Local Archbishop Jaime Calderón attributed the incident to tensions between rival cartels fighting for territorial control in an area that reported the highest murder rate in Mexico for 2024. The region has seen increasing violence, with both the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel vying for dominance, often leading to horrific public displays of power, like this recent assault.
Residents reported hearing around 100 rounds fired, leading to a scene likened to "a bloodbath" in the central square. As of now, no arrests have been made, and the ongoing violence raises fears within the community, highlighting the pervasive influence of drug cartels in everyday life.
