Shooting in Mexico leaves 10 dead:Deceased include 3 women and a child, attackers flee; nation to host FIFA World Cup next month

At least 10 people, including a child, were shot dead after armed attackers stormed a house in Tehuitsingo in central Mexico on Sunday, authorities said. The victims included six men, three women and one child. According to officials, neighbours alerted police after hearing gunfire from the house. When officers reached the scene, they found several people with gunshot wounds inside the property. One injured woman was rushed to hospital but died on the way. Authorities said armed individuals carried out the attack, but no arrests have been made so far and the motive remains unclear. Tehuitsingo, a town of around 11,300 people, is located about 208 km from Mexico City. The investigation is being carried out jointly by the National Guard, the State Attorney General’s Office, state and local police, and intelligence teams. Puebla Governor Alejandro Armenta has not yet issued a statement on the incident. The attack comes amid growing violence linked to drug cartels in central Mexico. In recent months, reports suggest cartel-related clashes have forced between 800 and 1,000 families to flee their homes in the region. Mexico’s biggest drug lord was killed in February In February, Mexican forces killed alleged drug kingpin El Mencho during an army operation. He was reportedly injured in a raid in Talpa and died while being airlifted to Mexico City. At least nine other alleged criminals were also killed in the operation. Following his death, widespread arson and violence were reported, with supporters blocking highways and setting vehicles on fire. According to reports, El Mencho led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal groups, known for drug trafficking, extortion and violent intimidation. The cartel has also been reported to have a presence in multiple US states, and the US government had announced a reward for information leading to his capture. The latest shooting comes weeks before Mexico co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11. Mexico will host 13 matches across Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced the deployment of 100,000 security personnel for the tournament. Key incidents in Mexico Mexico has witnessed several major violent incidents in recent months. On April 20, a shooting near the Teotihuacan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, left one Canadian tourist dead and 13 others injured. In February, separate attacks in Puebla and Huehuetlán el Grande killed three and six people respectively, while in January 11 people were killed near a football field in Salamanca. Another shooting in December 2025 during a public event in Apaseo el Grande left eight people dead.