Gunmen in central Mexico kill 11, wound 12 after soccer match, authorities say

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Gunmen opened fire at a soccer field in central Mexico on Sunday, killing at least 11 people and wounding 12, authorities said.

Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto said in a statement posted to social platforms that the gunmen arrived at the end of a soccer match.

Ten people died at the scene and one died later at a hospital. The mayor said a woman and a minor were among the wounded.

Prieto said the attack was part of a "crime wave" in the city and appealed to President Claudia Sheinbaum for help to control the violence.

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The Guanajuato state prosecutor's office said it was investigating and coordinating with federal authorities to reinforce security in the area.

Guanajuato had Mexico's highest homicide total last year. A local gang, Santa Rosa de Lima, has been battling the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

"Unfortunately, there are criminal groups trying to subjugate authorities, something they are not going to achieve," the mayor said.

Overall, Mexico's government says the country's 2025 murder rate was the lowest since 2016 at 17.5 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, although analysts cautioned that the numbers may not fully reflect the country's violence.