A driver shot at Mexicali Municipal Police officers early Sunday morning after being flagged for a routine stop on the highway to Tijuana, triggering a multi-agency manhunt that failed to locate the suspect.
The incident occurred around 5:00 a.m. when officers signaled the vehicle to pull over. Instead of complying, the driver opened fire. No officers or civilians were injured in the attack.
Abandoned Vehicle Found in Virreyes Neighborhood
Authorities later located a gray 2010 Ford Focus with license plate AVZ942A abandoned in the Virreyes neighborhood of Mexicali. Police impounded the vehicle for forensic investigation.
The search for the shooter involved state police, federal forces, and military personnel. Despite the coordinated response, the suspect had not been apprehended by the time the operation concluded.
A Pattern of Attacks on Mexicali Police
Sunday’s shooting adds to a growing list of attacks targeting law enforcement in Mexicali. In April, a similar coordinated security response was activated after an attack on a police officer and a subsequent strike on a local police station. In March, an off-duty officer was shot in what authorities described as a deliberate ambush.
The broader region has also seen high-profile violence against police in recent months. In April, a Baja California state police commander named Abigail Esparza Reyes was killed during a shootout in Tijuana while attempting to arrest an escaped California inmate. That case drew international attention and involved cooperation between Mexican and U.S. law enforcement agencies.
Possible Road Disruptions on Tijuana Highway
Multi-agency security deployments like Sunday’s operation can cause significant road disruptions along the Mexicali to Tijuana corridor, one of the most heavily traveled routes in northern Baja California. The highway connects the two largest cities in the state and is used daily by cross-border commuters, commercial trucks, and travelers heading to the coast.
Mexicali, the capital of Baja California with a population of roughly one million, sits directly on the U.S. border across from Calexico, California. The city has seen recurring security operations in 2025 as authorities respond to targeted attacks on police.
The story was first reported by Baja California Post.