Mass Shooting in Irapuato Leaves at Least 12 Dead, Including a Teenager, Amid Catholic Celebration

 Irapuato, Mexico | June 25, 2025 – A mass shooting in the central Mexican city of Irapuato claimed the lives of at least 12 people, including a 17-year-old, and left more than 20 others wounded, according to authorities in the violence-stricken state of Guanajuato. The attack occurred late Tuesday during a community celebration, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the region this year.

The Guanajuato State Attorney General’s Office confirmed the death toll on Wednesday, adding that approximately 20 individuals had been hospitalized with gunshot injuries. While initial reports by President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested multiple children were among the victims, the attorney general’s office later clarified that only one of the deceased was a minor.

“It is deeply regrettable what has happened,” President Sheinbaum said in a press statement. “An investigation is under way, and we will ensure that justice is served.”

Local media reports indicate that the shooting unfolded during an evening gathering celebrating the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, a traditional Catholic holiday. A widely circulated video on social media, which has yet to be independently verified, shows a festive scene with people dancing in a residential courtyard as a live band plays—before the music is abruptly drowned out by gunfire.

Guanajuato, long plagued by cartel violence and rival criminal factions, remains one of Mexico’s most dangerous states. On the same day as the Irapuato attack, five additional homicides were reported in other parts of the state, according to officials.

Authorities have not yet identified suspects or a motive behind the attack. The investigation remains ongoing.