Wednesday, September 17, 2025

New Year’s celebratory gunfire blamed in death of Querétaro man

A man in Querétaro died from a stray bullet during New Year’s celebrations, but he wasn’t without blame: he was the one who fired the gun. 

The man, both perpetrator and victim, was firing into the air on his property in San Juan del Río, about 50 kilometers southeast of Querétaro city, when one bullet came back. His girlfriend phoned emergency services but he was pronounced dead by paramedics. 

In Querétaro firing a weapon into the air is not a crime, unlike in some other states, but there are sanctions for carrying a weapon, the newspaper El Diario de Querétaro reported. 

Injuries from stray bullets are a problem in Mexico, where firing a weapon skyward is a well known gesture of celebration. It caused injury and danger in many parts of the country during New Year’s celebrations.

In Matamoros, Tamaulipas, a three-month pregnant woman’s life was endangered on January 1 after a stray bullet fell through her roof and hit her in the stomach. The 27-year-old was resting in her bed when she was hit. 

Families in Culiacán, Sinaloa, had to take refuge in their homes for about 10 minutes to avoid getting hit during celebrations, despite a heavy police presence and pleas from Governor Rubén Rocha Moya to act responsibly, the newspaper El Universal reported.

However, security forces are not always the best antidote to the indiscriminate firing of weapons. In México state, a municipal police officer’s weapon was confiscated after photos spread of him shooting out of a window with his girlfriend to usher in the New Year.

With reports from AM, Soy 502, Hoy Tamaulipas and El Universal 

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Fonatur glorieta in Los Cabos

MND Local: Major infrastructure projects reflect growing pains in Los Cabos

0
New airport facilities and new highways are on the way in Los Cabos, as our local news roundup takes a look at what's happening in Baja California Sur.
mural honoring Alicia Matías

A mural at explosion site in CDMX honors Alicia Matías, who died saving her granddaughter

1
The 49-year-old heroine's death has been met with an outpouring of admiration while the nation mourns the 15 victims of last week's gas tanker explosion.
Sheinbaum waving the Mexican flag from the National Palace during the annual Grito de Independencia

In first ‘Grito’ as president, Sheinbaum honors Mexico’s heroines of Independence

12
Josefa Ortiz Téllez Girón, Leona Vicario, Gertrudis Bocanegra and Manuela Molina were all included in Sheinbaum's first presidential Grito, or Cry of Independence.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity