Gunmen open fire at party in central Mexico, killing 12 and injuring 20

An armed group opened fire at a party in the city of Irapuato in central Mexico, killing at least 12 people and injuring 20 others, according to local and state officials.

The shooting took place Tuesday night during a patronal celebration in the Barrio Nuevo neighborhood of Irapuato, in the state of Guanajuato. Authorities said a group of armed individuals began firing at the attendees.

Municipal officials confirmed 12 fatalities following the attack, though the Guanajuato State Prosecutor’s Office later reported a slightly lower death toll of 11, including eight men, two women, and a 17-year-old boy.

At least 20 others were injured and taken to regional hospitals, some arriving on their own. State officials warned that the number of casualties could still rise.

No arrests have been made and the identities of the attackers remain unknown.

The attack was captured on video, showing several attendees dancing moments before gunfire erupted, prompting panic as people fled. Aftermath footage shows multiple bodies lying on the ground.

“It is indeed a tragic mass homicide and an investigation is underway,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said during her daily morning press conference. “In this case, it was actually a confrontation, but unfortunately, children were among those killed. What happened is very regrettable, and authorities are investigating.”

Guanajuato has become one of Mexico’s most violent states in recent years, with frequent clashes between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)—designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the Trump administration—and the local Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel.

The conflict has resulted in hundreds of deaths and disappearances, along with frequent mass shootings and the discovery of multiple clandestine graves throughout the state.