Gunmen open fire at religious festival in Mexico; 12 dead

Gunmen open fire at religious festival in Mexico; 12 dead

A gun attack on a religious festival in Irapuato, central Mexico, has left 12 people dead and over 20 injured.

The incident occurred on Tuesday night during an evening party celebrating a Catholic holiday, the Nativity of John the Baptist.

Among the deceased were a 17-year-old boy, eight men, and two women.

Local authorities are now on a manhunt for the attackers.

Witnesses describe scenes of panic and chaos

Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos as partygoers fled the gunfire.

One unnamed witness told AFP, "It was chaos. People put the wounded into their cars and rushed to hospital to try to save them."

Bloodstains and bullet holes were still visible at the scene on Wednesday morning.

Irapuato's local government condemned the attack

Irapuato's local government condemned the attack as a "cowardly act" and promised psychological support to affected families.

President Claudia Sheinbaum called the incident "deplorable" and confirmed an investigation was underway.

At her daily press briefing, she referred to the shooting as a "confrontation" but did not provide further details.

Guanajuato Governor Libia Dennise also condemned the violence and offered condolences to victims' families.

Guanajuato has become Mexico's most violent state

Guanajuato, known for its industrial growth and tourism, has become Mexico's most violent state due to ongoing gang wars.

Most of the violence is attributed to clashes between the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel.

Official figures show Guanajuato recorded over 3,000 murders last year—the highest in Mexico.

Since 2006, around 480,000 people have been killed and over 120,000 are missing across Mexico due to drug-related violence.