Soccer Field Massacre in Guanajuato Leaves 11 Dead

Salamanca, Guanajuato — Violence continues unabated in Salamanca. Eleven people were killed and 12 others were seriously injured following an attack at a soccer field in the community of Loma de Flores.

The incident occurred around 5:20 p.m. on Sunday during a local soccer match at the fields known as Campos de las Cabañas. Everything seemed to be proceeding normally until armed men arrived in two vans. Four men got out and began shooting at everyone present.

The gunfire was so intense it could be heard as far away as the municipality of Irapuato, as Loma de Flores is located less than 15 kilometers from the urban area of Irapuato. After the attack, at least 100 spent shell casings were found at the scene.

Once the aggression was perpetrated, the attackers sped away from Loma de Flores toward Irapuato, firing shots along the highway.

Neighbors who witnessed the attack described the scene as horrific: people bleeding to death on the soccer field, cries of pain and confusion, and the sound of patrol cars barely audible as the minutes passed.

Five ambulances from different organizations, including the Red Cross and Civil Protection, arrived at the scene. When paramedics examined the people on the ground, they confirmed that 10 of them showed no vital signs, while five others were transported in serious condition to hospitals in Irapuato, where another death was reported. Additionally, there were about seven people with various injuries who did not require medical transport.

After the attack, the area began to fill with authorities from all three levels of government. Elements of the Mexican Army, the National Guard, the State Public Security Forces, and the Salamanca police arrived at the site. Although they conducted an operation in the vicinity, the aggressors were not located.

Violence Plagues Salamanca in 2026

Loma de Flores is a community that was also the scene of violence in 2025 and in previous years was the site of clandestine grave discoveries, such as in 2022, when around 25 bodies were exhumed from two properties.

The violence in Salamanca seems endless, as so far this year 38 people have been murdered in Salamanca, and this is the highest number of people killed in a single incident, shaking the municipality with yet another massacre. Just last Saturday, five people were also murdered in Salamanca, and three more were found wrapped in plastic bags, showing that the municipality is going through its worst security crisis.

During January 2025, 18 people were murdered in Salamanca, so with days still remaining in the month, the number of violent deaths in the Salamanca municipality has already doubled compared to that year.

The violence in Salamanca is driven by the confrontation between cells of the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and cells of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel over control of retail drug trafficking and crimes such as fuel theft.

Municipal Government Condemns Aggression in Loma de Flores

Around 8:00 p.m., the municipal government of Salamanca confirmed that 11 people had lost their lives and 12 more were injured in the attack that occurred in Loma de Flores, condemning this new massacre in Salamanca territory.

“The Municipal Government of Salamanca strongly condemns the events that have occurred in recent days in the municipality and the state, including the one that took place this Sunday afternoon in the community of Loma de Flores, where people were gathered at a soccer field.

Unfortunately, as a result of these events, the death of 11 people was confirmed, of which 10 lost their lives at the scene and one more while receiving medical attention at a hospital,” stated the official communication.

The Salamanca authority reported that it is collaborating with the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Guanajuato, which will be the agency in charge of carrying out the necessary investigations to clarify the facts.

“The Municipal Government of Salamanca expresses its most sincere solidarity with the families and people affected by these events and reaffirms its commitment to accompany them and work permanently for the security and peace of our community,” concludes the municipal authority’s statement.