A municipal inspector in Playas de Rosarito was shot in the leg on May 21 after gunmen ambushed three city officials traveling in a government vehicle through the Colonia Constitución neighborhood. The injured official, identified as Jaime Rosas García, head of inspectors for the city’s Verification Department, was transported to the Hospital General on Calle José Haros Aguilar, next to City Hall. He is reported out of danger.
The attack took place around 2:30 p.m. when a suspect in a gray Nissan Murano opened fire on the municipal vehicle. Investigators recovered 11 spent .40-caliber shell casings at the scene. Multiple rounds struck the city truck. The gunman fled, and no arrests in connection with the shooting have been reported.
Mayor Calls Attack a Deliberate Targeting
Rosarito Mayor Rocío Adame Muñoz confirmed the attack and said investigators believe the inspectors were specifically targeted. “What we know is that they went directly for them, but the lines of investigation are with the Fiscalía,” Adame said, referring to the Baja California State Attorney General’s Office (FGE). She added that the case should not be treated as an isolated incident.
The shooting prompted an emergency Mesa para la Construcción de la Paz, a multi-agency security meeting that brings together municipal, state, and federal law enforcement. The city government said it would review protection protocols for inspection staff, many of whom work in high-traffic areas like the tourist zone, Boulevard Benito Juárez, and the Popotla corridor south of town.
Week of Heightened Operations Across Rosarito
Between May 14 and May 20, Rosarito’s Citizen Security Department referred 12 people to the FGE on charges including alleged drug sales, trespassing, vehicle theft, and business robbery. Officers seized handguns, long guns, live ammunition, and drug doses during that stretch. Three stolen vehicles were recovered.
The operations involved municipal police, the National Guard, the State Investigation Agency, the Mexican Navy, and Baja California state security forces. Patrols across Playas de Rosarito have increased visibly since the shooting.
The FGE is expected to intensify its investigation into the motive behind the attack. The Verification Department handles business compliance, permits, and local code enforcement, putting inspectors in regular contact with commercial operators throughout the city.
This story was first reported by Noticias Rosarito and El Imparcial.