Tijuana municipal police arrested a 22-year-old man accused of carrying out a contract killing at a public soccer field for just 3,000 pesos (roughly $150 USD). The suspect, identified as Jesús Andrés and originally from the state of Guerrero, was detained the night after the April 9 shooting at the Unidad Deportiva Salvatierra sports complex.
Officers on a routine patrol in the same neighborhood spotted Jesús Andrés hiding between parked vehicles around midnight on April 10. He was carrying a 9mm pistol that investigators later matched to the weapon used in the killing. The victim, whose identity has not been released, was found dead on the soccer field by sports facility staff earlier that morning.
Heavy Fog Concealed the Shooting
The shooting took place during the early morning hours of April 9, when dense fog blanketed the neighborhood around the Salvatierra sports complex. Neighbors reported hearing sounds but could not pinpoint the gunshots. Staff at the facility discovered the body when they arrived to open the grounds.
Police say Jesús Andrés has been linked to an organized crime group operating in Tijuana, though authorities have not named the specific organization. Investigators believe he was recruited to carry out the hit and paid the equivalent of about $150 USD, a figure that puts a grim price tag on cartel-linked violence in the city.
Split Jurisdiction Between Federal and State Prosecutors
Authorities turned Jesús Andrés over to federal prosecutors on weapons charges, since carrying a firearm restricted to military use is a federal offense in Mexico. State prosecutors with the Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE) are handling the homicide investigation separately and continue to search for whoever ordered the killing.
The Unidad Deportiva Salvatierra is a public sports facility in a residential area of Tijuana used by local soccer leagues and families. The killing on its grounds is a stark example of how cartel-linked violence can reach into everyday public spaces in the city.
The suspect’s arrest within 48 hours, and in the same neighborhood where the crime occurred, points to focused police work. But the broader network behind the murder remains under active investigation. This story was first reported by Punto Norte.