IRAPUATO: A religious celebration turned into a scene of horror in the city of Irapuato, Mexico, late Tuesday night, when gunmen opened fire on revellers gathered to mark the Nativity of St John the Baptist. The attack left 12 people dead and over 20 others injured.
Eyewitnesses said people were dancing in the streets when the gunfire began. Videos shared on social media captured the chaos—panicked screams, people fleeing, and the aftermath of the brutal assault.
Rodolfo Gómez Cervantes, an official from Irapuato, confirmed during a Wednesday press briefing that the death toll had risen to 12. The Guanajuato state prosecutor’s office said the victims included a 17-year-old, eight men, and two women.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum strongly condemned the attack and said authorities had launched a full investigation into the incident.
This marks the second mass shooting at a religious event in Guanajuato in recent weeks. Just last month, seven people were killed during a Catholic Church gathering in San Bartolo de Berrios, also within the same state.
Guanajuato—located northwest of Mexico City—continues to be among the most violent regions in the country. Officials attribute much of the bloodshed to ongoing battles between rival criminal factions, particularly the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
According to government figures, Guanajuato has recorded 1,435 homicides in the first five months of this year—more than double that of any other state in Mexico.
