Tijuana municipal police arrested 18-year-old Yurem Eduardo, known as “El Morral,” on the night of May 26 in connection with a 2025 shooting that killed two men and wounded four others, including the director of the city’s Instituto Municipal de Movilidad Sustentable (IMOS, the Sustainable Mobility Institute) and a five-year-old child.
Officers stopped a Chevrolet Blazer in the Sánchez Taboada neighborhood and found a .223-caliber rifle and roughly half a kilogram of methamphetamine inside the vehicle. A records check confirmed that Yurem Eduardo had an active arrest warrant for aggravated homicide tied to the May 2025 mass shooting at a family gathering in Tijuana’s Sonora neighborhood.
A Year on the Streets With an Active Warrant
The arrest came more than a year after the original attack, and it raised pointed questions about warrant enforcement in Tijuana. According to the source report, Yurem Eduardo was stopped by authorities in June 2025, just weeks after the shooting, while in possession of two long guns and narcotics. Despite the outstanding homicide warrant, he was released and continued operating freely in the city.
His capture marks the second arrest linked to the IMOS shooting. A co-defendant identified as César Manuel was detained in September 2025. No further details about César Manuel’s legal status were provided.
The Original Attack
The May 2025 shooting targeted a family gathering in the Sonora neighborhood, a residential area in eastern Tijuana. Gunmen opened fire on the group, killing two men at the scene. Four other people were wounded, including the then-director of IMOS and a child of just five years old. The IMOS director’s role overseeing Tijuana’s public transit and mobility planning made the attack especially notable, though it remains unclear whether the official was a specific target or caught in crossfire.
IMOS is the municipal agency responsible for managing public transportation routes, bike infrastructure, and traffic planning across Tijuana. The agency has expanded its role in recent years as the city grapples with congestion and rapid growth.
Justice System Gaps in Focus
The case puts a spotlight on a recurring problem in Baja California’s criminal justice system. A suspect carrying an active homicide warrant was stopped, found with military-grade weapons and drugs, and still walked free. That gap allowed Yurem Eduardo to remain at large for nearly 12 months before his rearrest on May 26.
Tijuana recorded more than 1,000 homicides in several recent years, and cases involving delayed warrant execution are not uncommon. The city’s municipal police force has undergone repeated restructuring efforts aimed at improving coordination with state prosecutors.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte on May 28.