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Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum disturbs the shooting at the Irapuato Festival as “deplorable” and promises an investigation.
An attack on firearms during a religious celebration in central Mexico left 11 dead and at least 20 others injured in the state of Guanajuato in the grip of violence, local officials confirmed.
The shooting broke out on Tuesday evening in the city of Irapuato, the authorities announced on Wednesday during festivities marking the Nativity of Jean-Baptiste. Witnesses described terrible scenes of panic and chaos while revelers fled the gunshots.
“It was chaos. People put the injured in their cars and rushed to the hospital to try to save them,” a witness at AFP news agency told anonymously due to security problems.
Shared online images show when the gunshots rang while people were dancing and celebrating. The cries can be heard while the crowd dispersed.
Blood stains and ball holes were still visible on the scene on Wednesday morning. Among the dead, there was a 17 -year -old, eight men and two women, according to the Office of the State of Guanajuato.
In a statement, the local government of Irapuato described the attack on “coward act” and said that the security forces were chasing officials. Psychological support is offered to affected families.
President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the attack as “deplorable” and said that an investigation had been launched. During his daily press conference, Sheinbaum described the shooting of “confrontation”, without developing on details.
The Governor of Guanajuato, Libia Dennise, also denounced the attack, offering condolences to the families of the victims and promising justice.
While Guanajuato is known for its industrial growth and its tourist centers of the colonial era, it has become notoriously recognized as a most violent state in Mexico in recent years.
The authorities blame a large part of the bloodshed on an ongoing lawn war between the gang of Santa Rosa of Lima and the powerful cartel of the new generation of Jalisco.
Government figures show that Guanajuato recorded more than 3,000 homicides last year – the highest in the country.
Since Mexico launched its so-called war against drugs in 2006, more than 480,000 people were killed in criminal violence, with more than 120,000 people who have disappeared.
