A patient at a hospital in Cuernavaca, the capital of Morelos, Mexico, was fatally shot when armed intruders stormed the medical facility on Tuesday. Local authorities have reported that the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning at a hospital situated just south of Mexico City. The attackers entered the intensive care unit and targeted the victim, a 23-year-old male who had been receiving treatment for a previous gunshot wound.
While such acts of violence within Mexican hospitals are infrequent, there have been past instances of similar incidents. Only a day before this tragic event, reports emerged of an unsuccessful assassination attempt on a patient at a hospital in the northern state of Sinaloa. The assailant had disguised themselves as a doctor and attempted to administer a lethal injection.
Mexican criminal gangs have been known to target rivals who are admitted to hospitals or being transported in ambulances. Their reckless actions have resulted in tragic consequences, such as the death of two paramedics in the northern state of Zacatecas in 2021 while they were in the process of transferring a patient.
The incident at the Cuernavaca hospital serves as a grim reminder of the dangers that exist within certain healthcare settings in Mexico. Law enforcement authorities are actively investigating the attack and working to apprehend the suspects. Further details regarding the motive behind the assault and the identities of the attackers have yet to be disclosed.
The violence that unfolded at the hospital in Cuernavaca underscores the ongoing challenges faced by healthcare providers and law enforcement agencies in ensuring the safety and well-being of patients and staff.