Tijuana, Mexico Illegal Casino Attack Leaves One Dead, Two Injured

Posted on: April 7, 2023, 03:56h. 

Last updated on: April 7, 2023, 10:55h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

A clandestine casino in Tijuana, Mexico, was exposed for all the wrong reasons. An armed attack on the mini-casino, located inside a grocery store, left one man dead and two seriously injured Thursday night.

Federal Police in Mexico conduct a patrol
Federal Police in Mexico conduct a patrol. Tijuana is dealing with increased crime related to illegal casinos across the region. (Image: Los Angeles Times)

The three victims were playing the physical and online slots installed in the back of the building in Playas de Tijuana, a borough of Tijuana. At first glance, anyone walking by the place would think it was only a grocery store. But in an adjacent room, it operated the gambling hall, which had its own entrance and exit door.

This is a common modus operandi across Mexico. Many shops and stores appear innocuous on the surface, but hold dark secrets, such as illegal gambling and illegal bars. However, seldom do trips to the properties turn deadly, although Tijuana seems to be particularly susceptible.

Death and Mayhem

An investigation of the armed attack is currently underway by the Attorney General’s Office (FGE, for its Spanish acronym). So far, the details are sketchy and police are trying to piece together the puzzle, according to a statement by law enforcement officials.

Officers heard the shots and made their way to the scene. There, they found the victims, but little else that would tell them what happened.

They know the victim who lost his life, a man around 35, tried to run out of the place when the armed men entered and began shooting. He fell wounded on the sidewalk in front of a home next to the business. The other two male victims, aged 60 and 48, respectively, lay wounded at the front door of the store.

Medical personnel arrived on the scene and declared the man who was lying on the sidewalk lifeless. The fatality was the result of a direct hit to the man’s chest.

Despite the serious injuries suffered by the other two victims, paramedics were able to stabilize them and transfer them to a hospital. One had been shot in the leg and arm while the other also took a bullet to the chest. At the scene, officers found more than 10 shell casings of different calibers.

Authorities haven’t released the victims’ identities, perhaps believing it could make the survivors repeat targets. The only clue so far is that the shooters left by vehicle, and the wounded men are the only people who might be able to identify the attackers.

Unraveling the Mystery

The grocery store has no sign identifying it and apparently wasn’t open to the public at the time of the attack. When the police arrived, they found the lights off and no employees inside. This only adds to the confusion surrounding the attack, as it doesn’t appear to be a robbery that went sideways.

The shooting is reminiscent of a similar attack that occurred this past January, also in Tijuana. In that violent episode, a man and a woman died, and two other people were injured. While there wasn’t much evidence, police believed the location was a trading post for illegal drugs.

As Mexico plans on cutting back on the number of licensed casinos, finding underground gambling halls won’t be a problem. They have plagued the country for years, especially in places like Tijuana. In each of the past three years, police have busted at least five clandestine casinos in the region, as well as others throughout the country.