TIJUANA (Border Report) — Despite having a new mayor and new police chief, Tijuana had the same old results when it came to the murder rate in the city.
The numbers are almost identical to last year when the city had 2,000 recorded murders.
Figures provided by the Baja California Attorney General’s Office show there have been 825 violent deaths through the end of May in Tijuana. During the same time period in 2020, there were 833.
According to José María Ramos García, an investigator with Colegio de la Frontera Norte, a college in Tijuana, the violence appears to be reaching average homes and entire families.
“The numbers tell one side, but something that stands out is the level of violence in the killings and how it’s affecting young people and their parents,” said Ramos García. “It is time to teach prevention and a family’s role in preventing such behavior.
Ramos García added it’s time for state and local governments to implement preventive measures instead of being in a constant state of reaction to the violence.
“The National Guard’s role is key, but it’s been insufficient, it requires a greater coordination between local and state leaders,” said Ramos García.
The city maintains overall crime is actually down in Tijuana, citing a 2 percent overall reduction in crime last year, especially in areas such as home robbery and vehicle theft.
