**Colombian Migrants Accuse National Guard of Deadly Shooting**
A group of Colombian nationals, holding valid permits from the National Institute of Migration (INM) to stay in Mexico, was severely attacked by members of the National Guard while traveling in a vehicle on the Tecate-Tijuana highway near Km 62+500 of La Rumorosa. The incident resulted in two deaths and five injuries.
According to eyewitness accounts, the guards fired multiple rounds at the Colombians, fatally wounding Ronaldo Andrés Quintero Peñuelas, 20, and Yuli Vanessa Herrera Marulanda, 37. Ronaldo suffered gunshot wounds to the head, chest, and neck, while Yuli sustained head injuries. They were declared dead at the scene by emergency responders.
Four injured migrants were rushed to the General Hospital in Tecate, with three of them being taken into custody by the INM. Two women remained hospitalized, one being a relative of the deceased youth. A surviving family member expressed their distress: “We worked so hard to get here, risking everything, only to lose our loved ones here.”
The victims disclosed they paid over $5,000 to travel from Colombia to Mexico, aiming to eventually enter the United States. Sadly, they now face deportation, having lost both money and loved ones. A migrant reported that they were traveling in a Nissan Xterra and were unarmed at the time of the attack. Allegedly, the National Guard personnel collected the shell casings at the scene, tampering with evidence before other authorities arrived. “We had no weapons; we did not fire at the officers,” emphasized one migrant.
Despite these claims, the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) and the State Prosecutor’s Office suggested the presence of weapons in the migrants’ vehicle and explained the guards’ response as a defensive measure against armed smugglers. Sedena stated, “There was a confrontation with armed traffickers, and the migrants were caught in the crossfire.”
State authorities, including Baja California’s Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, assured the public of thorough investigations by the National Guard, the State Prosecutor’s Office, and the Federal Republic’s Prosecutor’s Office. The goal is to clarify responsibilities and deliver justice.
**Additional Coverage on the Incident:**
In light of the tragic events, the Colombian government urged its citizens residing or traveling in Mexico to exercise heightened caution. The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed condolences for the loss of life and emphasized ongoing communication with Mexican authorities to provide consular support to affected families.
As of November 7, efforts were being made to repatriate the deceased Colombians and manage the deportation of the surviving migrants. Meanwhile, Tecate and its surrounding areas, known for high levels of migrant crossings, remain under scrutiny for their association with organized crime and alleged corruption among federal authorities.
For more updates on this developing story, continue following [TJGringo.com](http://tjgringo.com).