Mexicali Deputy Police Commander Killed in Targeted attack Authorities say.
Mexicali - Deputy commander Roberto Méndez Arreola of the Mexicali Municipal Police Department was killed Monday night in a targeted shooting outside his home in the Villa Las Lomas neighborhood. Méndez Arreola, who had served as deputy commander for the South Mexicali Valley since October 2024, was struck multiple times in the head, neck, chest, and abdomen. Authorities recovered 88 R15 shell casings at the scene.
The Baja California Attorney General’s Office confirmed the killing appeared premeditated, with suspects reportedly waiting in a vehicle for Méndez Arreola to exit his residence. State and municipal officials, including incoming police chief Luis Felipe Chan Baltazar, stated that Méndez Arreola had not reported any threats during his tenure. However, Police Fraternity President Antonio Navarrete Castillo claimed the deputy commander had considered resigning due to alleged threats after assuming the role.
Surveillance footage obtained by 760 News Media shows two individuals firing at Deputy Commander Roberto Méndez Arreola with what appears to be assault-style rifles. As Arreola collapses to the ground, white streaks—believed to be muzzle flashes or tracer rounds—can be seen striking both the pavement and his body. The video supports official findings that multiple high-caliber rounds were used in the attack, reinforcing investigators’ assessment that the ambush was premeditated and carried out with military-style weapons.
In response to the attack, security officials have pledged to increase safety protocols for officers. The incident has renewed public scrutiny over law enforcement vulnerability and the effectiveness of the region’s security strategy. State figures indicate that 99 officers have been killed in Baja California in the past six years, including eight so far in 2025. PAN officials and opposition lawmakers criticized leadership instability and a lack of coordinated security planning as contributing factors.