A man was shot and killed early Sunday morning after leaving an Oxxo convenience store in Tijuana’s Villa Fontana district, according to local authorities. The victim, estimated to be between 35 and 40 years old, was walking along Calle Casuarinas in the Ribera del Bosque neighborhood when attackers opened fire.
The shooting killed the man instantly on the sidewalk. Municipal police responded to a 911 call and secured the scene. A Red Cross ambulance arrived shortly after and confirmed the death.
No Suspects Identified in Villa Fontana Shooting
Personnel from SEMEFO (Servicio Médico Forense), the state forensic agency, began the initial crime scene investigation. Authorities have not identified any suspects or established a motive for the attack.
The victim’s name has not been released. He was reportedly walking home from the Oxxo when the shooting occurred.
Villa Fontana: A Pattern of Violence
Villa Fontana sits in eastern Tijuana, a sprawling residential and commercial area roughly 20 minutes from the San Ysidro border crossing. The neighborhood has seen repeated episodes of targeted violence. In May 2024, Tijuana municipal police district chief Julio César Silva Herrera was gunned down while driving on Dos Avenue in the same Villa Fontana subdivision.
A separate incident in the same area occurred in early June 2025, when a woman was killed with more than 10 gunshots while sitting in a vehicle parked outside another Oxxo in Villa Fontana. Attackers left a narco message at that scene, according to Avance Noticias.
The pattern of shootings near convenience stores and commercial locations in Villa Fontana points to a contested security environment in Tijuana’s eastern delegations. Oxxo stores, which operate 24 hours and dot nearly every neighborhood in the city, often serve as landmarks in police reports of street crime.
Tijuana’s Ongoing Homicide Crisis
Tijuana remains one of the most violent cities in Mexico. The city has recorded thousands of homicides over the past several years, with many killings linked to organized crime disputes over drug trafficking routes to the United States. Eastern Tijuana delegations, including Villa Fontana and neighboring colonias, have been particularly affected.
Authorities have not said whether Sunday’s killing is connected to organized crime. The investigation remains open.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte.