A man was shot and killed Monday afternoon while sitting inside a blue Nissan Pathfinder in the parking lot of the Calimax Olivos supermarket in Tecate. The attack took place around 2:30 p.m., just steps from the store’s main entrance, while customers were shopping inside.
The vehicle carried California license plates. A second person inside the Pathfinder was wounded in the attack and transported to a local hospital. As of 4:00 p.m., that person’s condition had not been confirmed.
Shooting Forced Store Evacuation
Employees and customers were evacuated from the Calimax Olivos location after the gunfire. Multiple security agencies responded to the scene, cordoning off the parking lot to collect evidence and remove the body.
No suspects had been identified or detained as of Monday evening. Authorities had not officially released the name of the victim.
A Familiar Location for Cross-Border Shoppers
Calimax is one of the largest supermarket chains in Baja California. The Olivos branch sits in a well-trafficked commercial area of Tecate, a small border city about 35 miles southeast of Tijuana. Tecate’s downtown port of entry connects directly to Tecate, California, and the city draws regular cross-border traffic from San Diego County residents who come for restaurants, breweries, and day trips.
The California plates on the victim’s vehicle are likely to draw attention from both Mexican investigators and U.S. law enforcement. It was not immediately clear whether the victim was a U.S. resident or had simply registered the vehicle in California, a common practice in border communities.
Pattern of Violence Near Commercial Areas
This is not the first fatal shooting at the same Calimax Olivos location. In September 2021, a man was killed by gunfire in the parking lot of an AutoZone directly across from the Calimax Olivos store. In that incident, witnesses reported an attempted kidnapping before the shooting.
Tecate has historically seen less cartel-related violence than Tijuana, but targeted attacks in public spaces have occurred periodically. The Baja California state attorney general’s office (FGE) is expected to lead the investigation.
This story was first reported by Jornada BC and confirmed by El Imparcial and Diario Tijuana.