A religious celebration in Irapuato, Mexico, turned deadly when gunmen opened fire, resulting in 12 fatalities and at least 20 injuries. The attack occurred during festivities for the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, with revellers dancing in the street when the shooting began. Guanajuato state, plagued by cartel violence, has seen a surge in homicides this year.

Gunmen opened fire at a religious celebration in Mexico’s Guanajuato; 12 killed, at least 20 injured A religious event turned tragic in Mexico’s Irapuato city when gunmen opened fire during a celebration, killing 12 people and leaving at least 20 injured.The shooting occurred late Tuesday during the celebration festivities marking the Nativity of St John the Baptist. People were dancing on the street when the gunfire erupted.

Videos circulated online showed the moment with revellers screaming and fleeing the scene.Rodolfo Gómez Cervantes, an official in Irapuato, confirmed in a news conference on Wednesday that the death toll had risen to 12. The Guanajuato state prosecutor’s office reported that among the dead were a 17-year-old, eight men, and two women.President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the attack and said it was under investigation.This is the second such incident in the state in recent weeks.

Last month, seven people were killed in a shooting at a party organized by the Catholic Church in San Bartolo de Berrios, also in Guanajuato.Guanajuato, located northwest of Mexico City, remains one of the most violent states in the country. Authorities attribute much of the violence to turf wars between organized crime groups, including the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. According to official data, the state has recorded 1,435 homicides in the first five months of the year — more than double that of any other Mexican state.