After change of command, deputy police commander shot dead in Mexicali (Video)

BAJA CALIFORNIA (apro).- Hours after the change of command at the Municipal Public Security Directorate of Mexicali, Baja California, a deputy commander was gunned down as he left his home.

The man involved was Roberto Méndez Arreola, deputy commander of the Mexicali Valley police force, who was attacked just after 11:00 p.m. At least two individuals were involved in the attack, according to a security camera video that began circulating on social media Monday night.

The images show the commander walking when the individuals appear on the scene to shoot him from a distance, in the Lomas Altas subdivision, south of the capital of Cachanilla.

Following the attack, a special operation was launched by various agencies, but no arrests were made, according to local press reports.

The murder occurred after the day of changes, when retired Lieutenant Colonel Julián Leyzaola, known internationally for having survived an attack on May 8, 2015, in Ciudad Juárez, which forced him to use a wheelchair, announced his resignation at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, July 14.

The soldier had just taken the oath of office on March 18, and three days later, a narco-banner appeared threatening him with death.

On the banner, which this time was printed rather than handwritten, they assured him that "Mexicali has an owner" and that he would indeed be assassinated in this city, in reference to the aforementioned attack.

According to Semanario Zeta, Leyzaola's media exposure declined due to situations such as the removal of Traffic Commander Vicente Robles, whom he publicly accused of corruption without presenting evidence; his refusal to take control and confidence tests; and his constant clashes with the media. However, during his administration, crime rates did not decline substantially.

Nexos Noticias reported that even the XXV Mexicali City Council spent almost 800 thousand pesos to build an elevator for Leyzaola's exclusive use, in contrast to the one that has been broken since October 2024 at the Municipal Palace.

Regarding the resignation, Mayor Norma Alicia Bustamante confirmed the resignation and the notice from 7:00 a.m.

"And the reasons are, they are personal reasons," he told the press, also clarifying that he had no "differences" with the lieutenant colonel.

Regarding the change at the time, which previously forced the departure of Luis Felipe Chan Baltazar, he considered it to be "a consensual decision" and "taking into account the delicate conditions" of the time.

Later that afternoon, in an extraordinary session of the City Council, Luis Felipe Chan Baltazar was reappointed; according to reports, he is the third mayor to lead the corporation in nine months and the fifth to reprise his position under the current administration.