Tijuana’s municipal president, Ismael Burgueño, dismissed Police Chief Fermín García Estrada on Monday after a video circulated showing officers beating a street vendor in the Zona Centro. The incident, captured on security cameras, triggered public outrage and forced the city to act within hours of the footage going viral.
Officers Punched and Kicked Vendor on Avenida Constitución
The confrontation took place Friday, June 13, near Avenida Constitución and Calle Segunda in downtown Tijuana. Security camera footage shows two municipal police officers physically attacking a street vendor during what appeared to be a routine interaction. The officers punched and kicked the man while he was on the ground. Bystanders recorded portions of the incident on their phones, and the video spread rapidly across social media over the weekend.
By Monday morning, Burgueño held a press conference to announce García Estrada’s removal. The mayor said the decision was not solely about the viral video but reflected broader concerns about conduct within the department. “This is not the type of police force we want for Tijuana,” Burgueño said during the announcement.
The two officers involved have been identified and placed under internal investigation. Burgueño said the city would pursue administrative and criminal proceedings against them. The street vendor’s identity has not been publicly released, and his current condition was not detailed at the press conference.
García Estrada Led Department Since December 2024
Fermín García Estrada had served as Tijuana’s police chief since the current municipal administration took office in December 2024. His tenure lasted roughly six months. Before leading the department, García Estrada held positions within Baja California’s state security apparatus, though the details of his prior postings were not elaborated by city officials during Monday’s announcement.
Tijuana’s police force has faced persistent scrutiny over use-of-force complaints. The city’s municipal police number roughly 2,500 officers and patrol a metro area of nearly two million residents. Complaints of excessive force, extortion, and abuse have been recurring issues documented by both the Comisión Estatal de Derechos Humanos (Baja California’s state human rights commission) and federal oversight bodies for years. A 2023 report from the commission flagged Tijuana’s municipal police as among the most complained-about law enforcement agencies in the state.
Street vendors in Tijuana’s Zona Centro operate in a tense environment. The downtown core near Avenida Revolución and Avenida Constitución sees heavy foot traffic from both locals and cross-border visitors. Municipal authorities have periodically cracked down on informal commerce in the area, sometimes leading to confrontations. The vendors, many of whom lack formal permits, often face pressure from police conducting enforcement sweeps ordered by the city’s commerce department.
New Chief to Be Named Within Days
Burgueño said a replacement for García Estrada would be announced within the coming days but did not name candidates. He also announced a review of internal protocols for use-of-force incidents and pledged that officers involved in misconduct would face consequences “without exception.”
The FGE (Baja California’s state attorney general’s office) has not announced a separate criminal investigation into the officers as of Monday evening. Under Mexican law, victims of police violence can file complaints with both the municipal government and the state prosecutor’s office. The street vendor or his family could pursue criminal charges independently through the FGE.
Tijuana’s Zona Centro sits just south of the San Ysidro border crossing, the busiest land port of entry in the Western Hemisphere. Thousands of U.S. residents cross daily into the area for medical appointments, dental work, pharmacy visits, and dining. The streets where the beating occurred are within blocks of the main tourist corridor along Avenida Revolución.
Municipal police in Tijuana interact regularly with foreign visitors and cross-border commuters. Previous incidents involving officers and foreigners have drawn attention from the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana, which periodically issues security advisories for the downtown area. The consulate had not commented on this specific incident as of Monday.
Burgueño’s decision to fire the police chief within days of the video surfacing marks an unusually swift response for Tijuana’s municipal government. Past incidents of police misconduct have often resulted in internal reassignments rather than high-profile terminations. The next scheduled city council session, where security policy could be formally discussed, is set for late June. This story was first reported by Cadena Noticias.