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-Editorial
Roberto Méndez Arreola, sub-commander of the Municipal Police in the Mexicali Valley, was shot and killed early morning on July 15 outside his home in the Villa Lomas Altas neighborhood, in what authorities are treating as a targeted execution sounding the alarms of the increase of crime in Mexicali. This time a law enforcement agent was a victim of a crime.
According to initial reports by Mexicali police, Méndez Arreola was arriving at his residence in a police-assigned vehicle when at least two armed men exited another vehicle and opened fire using assault rifles. The attackers fled the scene immediately, and no arrests have been reported. A street video camera captured the moment of the attack.
Municipal police officers confirmed Méndez had died at the scene upon their arrival. The State Attorney General’s Office took over the investigation by collecting evidence from the crime scene.
The killing occurred less than twelve hours after Luis Felipe Chan Baltazar was sworn in as the new Director of Municipal Public Security, replacing Lt. Col. Julián Leyzaola Pérez, who resigned citing personal reasons. Mexicali police have seen a constant turnover in their leadership which has caused a lack of trust by residents about their availability to trust in the police.
Chan Baltazar described Mendez as an experienced and honorable person who had excellent evaluations of his work performance.
Antonio Navarrete, president of the Police Fraternity, publicly mourned Méndez Arreola’s death, noting that he had served as sub-commander since 2024 and had remained in his post even after his superior left the role following a threat.
Director Chan Baltazar said authorities “will not be intimidated” and vowed to strengthen coordination with state and federal security agencies to capture those responsible during a press conference.
City council members from the National Action Party (PAN), Sandra Dennis Cota Montes, Gustavo Magallanes Cortés, and Manuel Rudecindo García Fonseca, strongly condemned the killing and demanded a thorough investigation. “This crime must not go unpunished or become just another statistic in the growing wave of violence affecting our city,” they stated.
The council members also urged Director Chan Baltazar and Mexicali Mayor Norma Bustamante Martínez to take decisive action to ensure the safety of both the public and law enforcement officers.
Violence against police officers in Mexico continues to rise. So far in 2025, at least 199 officers have been killed—an average of one per day—representing a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2024, according to Causa en Común. Since Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, at least 293 police homicides have been recorded. These figures reflect an alarming trend that has persisted across recent administrations.