In Irapuato, Guanajuato, a municipal police officer was killed and his partner was injured during an armed attack last Sunday. According to official information, the two officers were shot at in the parking lot of a Guadalajara pharmacy while carrying out surveillance in the area.
After the attack, the officer identified as Omar Villafaña Alvarado died, while his injured partner is reported to be in serious condition. The assailants were arrested shortly after thanks to the surveillance system, and firearms, magazines, and useful cartridges were confiscated, in addition to a vehicle.
With this tragic incident, there have now been at least 47 police officers killed so far this year in Guanajuato, the most dangerous state for police in Mexico, according to data from the organization Causa en Común. The state ended the year 2023 with a total of 60 police officers dead, notable for the high incidence of violence against law enforcement.
Local authorities mention that many of the police murders may be related to retaliation for their work against criminal organizations such as the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel, which operate and dispute territory in Guanajuato in illicit activities such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion.
The mayor of Irapuato, Lorena Alfaro García, condemned the attack and expressed her condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased officer. She assured that those responsible were captured and are at the disposal of the authorities to face justice, reaffirming the commitment to work for the peace and safety of the city.
