NAUCALPAN, MX – A tragic incident unfolded on Mexico’s Day of the Dead holiday when two men were fatally shot in a cemetery, according to prosecutors’ reports from Friday. A third individual was also injured during the attack, which took place in Naucalpan, a suburb of Mexico City.
The Day of the Dead, observed from November 1st to 2nd, is a traditional Mexican holiday during which families visit the graves of their departed loved ones. It appears that the perpetrators of this crime exploited this tradition, lying in wait for their victims at the cemetery.
While official information regarding the motive behind the attack and the identities of the victims was not immediately available, local media outlets suggested that one of the victims was a businessman specializing in car bullet-proofing, and the other was his bodyguard.
The Day of the Dead is typically a peaceful occasion, with families cleaning and decorating graves with flowers, and sometimes sharing meals, singing, or sitting quietly by the graves. However, this year’s observance was marred by violence not only in Naucalpan but also in northern Mexico.
Authorities reported an attack on police in the northern border state of Sonora, between the towns of Santa Ana and Magdalena de Kino, 56 miles from the Arizona border. The assailants left behind three assault rifles, a truck, and traces of blood before escaping to a nearby mountain.
Following the attack, the mayor of Santa Ana made the decision to evacuate a local school and postpone all Day of the Dead celebrations until further notice. As a result of escalating tensions, several other towns also canceled their traditional Day of the Dead festivities.