Seven people were killed when gunfire erupted during a confrontation between armed civilians on Sunday, November 2, 2025, in Guachochi, a tourist town in Mexico’s Chihuahua state. Nine people were struck by bullets, including a 2-year-old infant, as violence spilled into residential neighborhoods where innocent bystanders were traveling or walking.
The Chihuahua Attorney General’s Office confirmed Tuesday that victims were caught in the crossfire while moving through the El Lobito and Turuseachi neighborhoods. “Some of the victims were riding vehicles or walking along the El Lobito and Turuseachi neighborhoods when they were struck by bullets from a confrontation between armed civilians,” the office stated in a release to Border Report.
Authorities responding to the scene initially treated seven wounded individuals at local clinics, including four men, two women, and the toddler. Police later discovered two additional victims lying on the street: a 25-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman. Of the nine people shot, seven ultimately succumbed to their injuries, though officials have not specified which victims died from their wounds.
Among those caught in the violence was a school teacher, according to El Instante, a local news outlet. The teacher was traveling in a vehicle with several others when gunmen apparently mistook it for a car belonging to a rival group and opened fire. The vehicle became trapped in the barrage of bullets as the armed confrontation unfolded around them.
The shooting occurred in a town known primarily for tourism rather than violence. Guachochi attracts visitors from around the world as the host site of the Ultramaratón de los Cañones, an international ultramarathon race. The event draws participants who come to experience the views of Copper Canyon visible throughout the course.
The race is accompanied by extensive community celebrations. The event website describes how Guachochi organizes a party, cultural festival, popular festival, and children’s races surrounding the ultramarathon to welcome competitors and their families. The festivities have made the town a destination for international athletes and tourists seeking to experience the natural beauty of the Copper Canyon region.
The incident represents a stark intrusion of violence into a community that has built its reputation on welcoming visitors. The Attorney General’s Office characterized the shooting as stemming from a confrontation between armed civilians, though officials have not released information about the identities of those involved in the gunfight or what sparked the violence.
The presence of a 2-year-old among the wounded underscores how the violence swept indiscriminately through residential areas where people were going about their daily activities.
Investigators have not disclosed whether any arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. The Attorney General’s Office also has not indicated whether the armed individuals involved in the confrontation were among the casualties or if they fled the scene before authorities arrived.
Local medical facilities treated the wounded as they arrived, with clinics receiving the initial seven patients before police discovered the two additional victims on the street. The delay in finding the 25-year-old man and 26-year-old woman suggests the violence may have covered a wide area or that some victims were unable to seek immediate help.
The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the full circumstances of the confrontation and identify those responsible for the shooting. The Attorney General’s Office has not provided a timeline for when additional information might be released about the incident.
