A 23-year-old man was shot and killed while sitting inside his vehicle on Avenida Nacionalismo in Colonia Ejidatarios, a neighborhood in western Mexicali, on Saturday afternoon.
Emergency calls reporting gunfire reached authorities shortly after 4 p.m. Municipal police responded to the scene, where witnesses provided accounts of the attack. The victim was confirmed dead at the location.
Shooting Took Place on Busy Western Mexicali Avenue
Colonia Ejidatarios sits in western Mexicali, roughly two miles from the Calexico port of entry. Avenida Nacionalismo is a well-traveled road that runs through several residential colonias in that part of the city.
Authorities have not publicly identified the victim or released details about suspects. The Baja California State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) is expected to take over the investigation, as is standard procedure for homicide cases in the state.
Mexicali’s Ongoing Homicide Problem
The killing follows a pattern of targeted, vehicle-based shootings that have occurred in colonias across Mexicali in recent months. Many of these attacks appear to be directed at specific individuals rather than random acts of violence.
Gun violence in Mexicali has remained a persistent concern. In June 2025, the Mexicali Police Department reported 10 violent homicides for that month alone. While city officials have increased patrols in some neighborhoods, killings in residential areas continue.
Mexicali, the capital of Baja California, sits directly across the border from Calexico, California. The city of roughly 1.1 million residents serves as a crossing point for thousands of people daily, including U.S. citizens who live, work, or shop on both sides of the border.
No arrests have been announced in connection with Saturday’s shooting. The investigation remains open.
This story was first reported by Semanario Zeta and La Voz de la Frontera.