Six middle school students were detained by Mexicali Municipal Police after a Molotov cocktail exploded inside a classroom at Escuela Secundaria Técnica No. 18 on Thursday morning, May 14. The blast occurred around 8:16 a.m. inside classroom 3C at the campus located on Avenida Islas Salomón and Avenida Islas Tiburón in the Jardines del Lago neighborhood.
Someone called the emergency line shortly after 8:00 a.m. to report the explosion. Police quickly mobilized to the school and activated a security protocol on campus. The six students, ages 14 to 16, were taken into custody at the scene.
Students Allegedly Built Device on Campus
According to police reports, the students allegedly agreed to bring and detonate the Molotov bomb inside the school. KYMA, the Yuma-area television station that covers the border region, reported that the device was actually assembled on school grounds. No injuries were reported in the blast.
The detained minors were turned over to the FGE (Fiscalía General del Estado, the state attorney general’s office). Because all six are believed to be minors, they will likely be processed through Mexico’s juvenile justice system.
Parents Frustrated by Late Notification
Some parents expressed frustration after learning they were not notified about the explosion for several hours. The school is located in Mexicali’s Valle de Mexicali area, a residential zone east of the city center that is home to several public schools.
Authorities have not yet clarified whether the device was primarily incendiary or concussive. The incident comes during a period of heightened concern across Mexico about online challenges that dare students to carry out acts of violence at schools. In March 2026, a student at a high school in Michoacán opened fire on teachers in a separate incident that drew national attention.
Mexicali sits directly across the border from Calexico, California, and the two cities share a large cross-border population. Secundaria Técnica No. 18 is a public middle school serving students roughly ages 12 to 16.
The incident was first reported by La Jornada Baja California and TV Azteca Baja California.