Funerals held after Mexico soccer shooting

Funerals were held for victims of a mass shooting at a soccer field in Salamanca, Guanajuato, as authorities opened an investigation and vowed the crime will not go unpunished. Armed attackers opened fire after a match, killing 11 people and wounding 12, according to local officials. Mourners gathered in communities near Salamanca to bury the dead, including 30-year-old Martin Puya, 21-year-old Brayan Gutierrez, Carmen Sanchez and 17-year-old Luis Enrique. Relatives described scenes of panic and heartbreak; some victims were said to be ordinary fans and players with no known links to criminal activity.

City officials reported that the motive remains unclear while prosecutors conduct forensic work and witness interviews to determine whether the attack was linked to organized crime or local disputes. Local authorities increased security at funerals and pledged swift arrests, but families and activists voiced scepticism based on past cases where promises of justice produced few convictions.

Guanajuato — long afflicted by violent turf wars between rival cartels — recorded the highest share of intentional homicides in 2025, accounting for 10.9% of national totals with 2,539 victims reported. The massacre has intensified public anger and renewed debate over public security, with critics arguing that criminal groups operate with near impunity and that state responses have failed to protect civilians in everyday spaces.

Human rights groups warned that the attack exemplifies a broader trend of organized crime targeting public venues, blurring the line between criminal conflict and mass-casualty violence against civilians. They called for stronger institutions, accountability, victim support and prevention measures. Community members organized aid for affected families, noting that many households have lost breadwinners and now face financial and emotional hardship.

Mourners placed candles, flowers and soccer jerseys at services and called for memorials at the field. Some vowed continued public pressure for investigations and justice, while others emphasized the need for long-term policies to curb cartel violence and restore security. The incident underscored the fragility of safety in regions where recreational spaces have become sites of lethal attacks, leaving communities traumatized and demanding concrete action from authorities.