A birthday celebration turned into a scene of lethal violence when the party host pulled out a gun and opened fire on members of a musical group in Tijuana, Baja California. The attack, which took place at the “El Roble” event hall, left one singer dead and another musician wounded, prompting a mobilization of security forces in the Ciudad Jardín neighborhood.
The deceased victim was identified as Arturo, the lead singer of the group “Reacción,” who died instantly after sustaining direct gunshot wounds while performing. In the same incident, Raúl—a 24-year-old and the band’s backing vocalist—was wounded and rushed to a hospital, where he is reported to be in stable condition. (Source: Seguridad Nacional México)
According to witness statements gathered by authorities, the assailant—who was the guest of honor at the gathering—began firing shots into the air for no apparent reason. Moments later, he turned the weapon on the musicians who were entertaining the crowd. At the time of the attack, approximately 12 guests and three waiters were present in the hall and witnessed the sudden eruption of violence.
Members of the band stated that the booking was arranged via social media, and payment was made via bank transfer. It was Arturo himself who finalized the agreement for the performance, never imagining that the event would end in a direct attack by the very person who had hired them.
Upon the arrival of municipal police officers and agents from the Prosecutor’s Office, the hall was virtually empty, as attendees had fled the scene immediately after the shots rang out. In the immediate vicinity of the incident, forensic experts located nearly 12 spent shell casings—evidence of the attack’s severity.
One obstacle facing the preliminary investigation is that the venue was not equipped with internal video surveillance cameras. However, the Baja California State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) is already in possession of the bank transfer account holder’s details, as well as testimonies from survivors, enabling them to fully identify the perpetrator.
Authorities have launched search operations to locate the birthday celebrant, who now faces charges of aggravated homicide and causing bodily injury. This incident has sparked widespread outrage within the region’s music community, which is demanding greater security guarantees when hired to perform at private events.
