Four people were shot and killed in separate armed attacks across Tijuana on Tuesday afternoon, March 31, adding to a grim homicide toll that has already surpassed 230 killings in the border city so far in 2026.
The first shooting took place around 12:39 p.m. in the Colonia Lagunitas neighborhood, at the intersection of Laguna Azul and Lagunitas streets. Unknown gunmen opened fire on the driver of a vehicle at that location. Three additional fatal shootings followed at different points across the city during the afternoon hours.
No Arrests in Any of the Four Cases
Authorities have not reported any arrests in connection with any of the four killings. All investigations remain open, according to reporting by Semanario ZETA, the Tijuana investigative news outlet that first reported the attacks.
The shootings occurred in residential colonias spread across the city. Details about the identities of the other three victims and the precise locations of those attacks have not been released. No motive has been publicly confirmed for any of the incidents.
Tijuana’s 2026 Homicide Count Tops 230
Tuesday’s violence brings Tijuana’s homicide count past 230 for the first three months of 2026. The city, home to roughly 2 million people and located just south of the San Ysidro border crossing from San Diego, has long ranked among Mexico’s most violent municipalities.
Tijuana experienced a major security crisis in February 2026, when the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes triggered a wave of retaliatory violence across Baja California. Vehicles were torched, businesses shuttered, and at least 20 people were arrested statewide during those incidents, with 11 of the arrests in Tijuana alone. Federal and state authorities deployed thousands of soldiers and police officers in response.
The February crisis prompted shelter-in-place advisories from the U.S. State Department for Americans in certain parts of Mexico. While that acute episode subsided, Tuesday’s cluster of four homicides in a single afternoon points to continued instability in the city’s residential neighborhoods.
What Residents and Visitors Should Know
The shootings took place in colonias away from the Zona Río commercial district, the Avenida Revolución tourist corridor, and the San Ysidro port of entry area. Tijuana’s tourist zones are generally patrolled more heavily than outlying residential areas.
The U.S. State Department maintains a Level 4 (Do Not Travel) advisory for parts of Baja California due to crime and kidnapping risks. Travelers crossing the border are advised to stick to well-traveled routes and limit nighttime travel.
This story was first reported by Semanario ZETA in Tijuana.