ANKARA

At least 11 people were killed and 12 others wounded when gunmen opened fire at a soccer field in central Mexico’s Guanajuato state, local officials said on Sunday.

Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto said that the attackers arrived after a soccer match and began shooting.

Ten victims died at the scene, while one person later died at a hospital, he said on US social media platform Facebook

A woman and a minor were among the wounded, he stated.

The mayor described the incident as part of a broader “crime wave” and called on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to help control violence in the region.

The Guanajuato state prosecutor’s office further said it was investigating the incident and coordinating with federal authorities to reinforce security.

“Unfortunately, there are criminal groups trying to subjugate authorities, something they are not going to achieve,” Prieto said.

Guanajuato had the highest number of homicides in Mexico last year.

Local reports link the violence to a conflict between the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.