A man was shot multiple times in the face and chest during the early morning hours of Sunday, July 5, on Vía Rápida Poniente near Plaza Río in Tijuana. Red Cross paramedics stabilized the victim at the scene and transported him to a hospital in serious condition.
The shooting occurred in the Zona Urbana Río Tijuana, one of the city’s most heavily trafficked commercial corridors. Plaza Río is a major shopping center located just minutes from the San Ysidro border crossing, and Vía Rápida Poniente is a principal east-west highway that thousands of drivers use daily.
Victim Found Between Sidewalk and Drainage Canal
According to reports, the man, approximately 45 years old, lay between the sidewalk and a drainage canal for close to an hour before authorities responded to an emergency call. Paramedics arrived to find the victim with gunshot wounds to both his face and chest.
Preliminary reports from local media indicate the victim may be a Salvadoran national. Authorities have not confirmed his identity or nationality. Reports also mention possible gang ties, though investigators have not verified that detail either.
Via Rápida Poniente: A Recurring Scene of Violence
The shooting is the latest in a string of violent incidents on Vía Rápida Poniente. On June 17, two people were shot while riding in a taxi on the same highway. In July 2025, three men were arrested after shooting a 40-year-old man on the road. Bodies and victims of violence have been found along the route repeatedly in recent years.
No suspects have been identified in Sunday’s attack. Authorities have not released information about a possible motive or whether surveillance cameras in the commercial zone captured any footage.
The Zona Urbana Río Tijuana area around Plaza Río sees heavy foot and vehicle traffic at all hours, with restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues lining the corridor. The location of the shooting, along one of the city’s main arteries, is less than two miles from the border.
This story was first reported by La Jornada Baja California and El Imparcial.