Six suspects were captured after a violent clash in Cabo San Lucas linked to the killing of Commander Mario Quezada. Authorities seized firearms, vehicles, and detained suspects from several states.
Six individuals were arrested in connection with a violent confrontation in Cabo San Lucas that left ten people dead, including Mario Quezada, the head of the Special Operations unit of the Baja California Sur Attorney General’s Office (PGJE). The arrests followed a coordinated police operation early Monday morning, June 23, in the Lienzo Charro neighborhood, according to a statement from the PGJE.
The operation came in the wake of a wave of violence that spread across three municipalities in Baja California Sur over the weekend. Among the victims were several civilians and Commander Quezada, who was the chief of the Subprosecutor’s Office for High Impact Crimes (SADAI).
Shootout in Cabo San Lucas
Security forces descended on a property in Lienzo Charro around dawn, acting on intelligence that led them to the suspects. According to official reports, four armed men standing outside the home opened fire on the approaching police units, triggering a shootout.
After a brief confrontation and subsequent chase, officers subdued the gunmen and proceeded to enter the house, where they apprehended two additional individuals—a man and a woman.
The violent exchange resulted in the seizure of a significant cache of weapons and other items, including:
- Five firearms: three long guns and two pistols
- Four vehicles, one of which was armored
- Multiple percussion casings
Identities of the detainees
The six suspects arrested during the operation were identified as:
- Faustino “N”, 39, originally from Guerrero
- Dalia “N”, 29, from Sonora
- José “N”, 37, from Nuevo León
- Eduardo “N”, 37, from Sinaloa
- Yair “N”, 22, from Sinaloa — sustained a gunshot wound
- Jesús “N”, 23, also from Sinaloa
Yair “N” reportedly told authorities that he had been injured during the earlier events in La Paz, where Commander Quezada was gunned down in a direct attack. His statement is among the leads currently under investigation to piece together the broader context of the coordinated attacks across the state.
Ten dead in violent weekend
The killings mark one of the deadliest weekends in recent years for Baja California Sur, with ten confirmed fatalities across multiple municipalities. Among the victims was a woman in Loreto, who was reportedly killed by a stray bullet during unrelated violence.
The most prominent target was Commander Mario Quezada, a leading figure in the state’s fight against organized crime. His murder is believed to be a calculated hit, possibly in retaliation for ongoing investigations and recent law enforcement actions.
The arrests and evidence recovered are now part of an extensive investigation led by the state’s Public Prosecutor’s Office specializing in intentional homicides. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the suspects are affiliated with any specific criminal organization, but they continue to explore all possible links to organized crime and prior incidents of violence in the region.
This latest escalation has sparked concerns about the security situation in Baja California Sur, a state that in recent years has prided itself on being relatively insulated from the drug violence affecting other parts of the country.
The PGJE stated that more operations are expected in the coming days as authorities work to dismantle the group allegedly responsible for the attacks.
