Students at a secondary school in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, experienced moments of panic after gunfire broke out near the campus in the Urías neighborhood on Wednesday, September 9.
The shooting involved people who were reportedly traveling on motorcycles. According to the Sinaloa Secretariat of Public Security, gunshots were reported between individuals on motorcycles in the vicinity of a school. Authorities said that no people were injured in the incident.
The incident occurred near Federal Secondary School No. 5, where students were in the school grounds around the time of dismissal. When they heard the gunshots, students began running back toward the classrooms while teachers instructed them to take shelter inside the school. Videos recorded at the school showed teenagers running across the grounds as the gunfire could be heard nearby.
The images circulating on social media showed the students trying to get away from the area where the shots were being heard and return to a safer location inside the school. The situation generated concern among both students and nearby residents.
According to local media reports, personnel from the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office collected 22 spent handgun shell casings at the scene. The presence of the casings indicated that firearms had been discharged in the area, although authorities did not publicly establish the identities or motives of those involved.
The Interinstitutional Group, made up of security agencies from different levels of government, responded to the report and deployed personnel to the area around the school. Authorities said the situation was subsequently brought under control.
There were no reports of students, teachers, or residents being wounded, and available reports did not indicate any arrests in connection with the shooting at the time of the initial reports.
The incident nevertheless highlighted the effect that the current security situation in Sinaloa can have on everyday activities, particularly in areas where schools are located. Students were forced to interrupt their normal activities and seek shelter because of gunfire occurring close to their educational facilities.
The shooting occurred amid a broader period of violence affecting Mazatlán and other parts of Sinaloa. Recent reports have described an increase in violent incidents in the municipality, with authorities maintaining security operations in response to the situation.
The episode also comes after a report from Mexicanos Primero Sinaloa documented that insecurity and violence were responsible for a significant portion of days affected during the 2025–2026 school year. According to Excélsior, the organization found that 39.5% of the 105 school days affected during the academic year were related to insecurity or violence.
For the authorities, the immediate priority following Wednesday’s shooting was to secure the area, determine what happened and carry out the corresponding investigation. The Sinaloa Public Security Secretariat said that the incident was under control after the arrival of the security forces.
The episode left no reported injuries, but the images of students running for cover demonstrated how gunfire in nearby streets can quickly affect schools and force children and teachers to take emergency measures to protect themselves.
Source: reforma
