Residents of San Luis, Arizona are on the alert these days as cartel violence has increased in neighboring San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. On Saturday, January 29th, 2022 there were three separate cartel shootings in the Mexican community alone.
In dramatic footage captured on the scene of one shooting at a small store near the intersection of Colima and Calle 42, a white SUV is seeing driving up as a white minivan begins to exit the parking lot. Bullets coming from inside the white SUV shatter the white minivan’s windows. An elderly man is seen dropping to the ground to take cover behind another vehicle as a woman runs to provide care and cover for the man.
Later a young man is seen exiting from the white minivan who appears to have been shot in the leg.
A shooter exits the SUV, fires off more rounds at the minivan and then runs back to the white SUV to make an escape.
Both residents and Border Patrol agents have described increasing violence in the area. The frequent reports of violence have ramped up fears in a U.S. community that is already overwhelmed with a massive surge of undocumented migrants from across the globe.
San Luis Rio Colorado is located in the State of Sonora, Mexico. The U.S. Department of State has issued a travel advisory to the State Of Sonora:
Sonora state – Reconsider Travel
Reconsider travel due to crime and kidnapping.
Sonora is a key location used by the international drug trade and human trafficking networks. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping.
U.S. government employees must adhere to the following travel restrictions:
Travel between Hermosillo and Nogales: U.S. government employees may travel between the U.S. Ports of Entry in Nogales and Hermosillo during daylight hours via Federal Highway 15 only.
Puerto Peñasco: U.S. government employees may travel between Puerto Peñasco and the Lukeville-Sonoyta U.S. Port of Entry during daylight hours via Federal Highway 8 only.
San Luis Rio Colorado, Cananea, and Agua Prieta: U.S. government employees may travel directly from the nearest U.S. Port of Entry to San Luis Rio Colorado, Cananea, and Agua Prieta, but may not go beyond the city limits.
Triangular region near Mariposa U.S. Port of Entry: U.S. government employees may not travel to the triangular region west of the Mariposa U.S. Port of Entry, east of Sonoyta, and north of Altar municipality.
Nogales: U.S. government employees may not travel to the area north of Avenida Tecnologico, west of Bulevar Luis Donaldo Colosio (Periferico), and east of Federal Highway 15D (Corredor Fiscal) and the residential areas to the east of Plutarco Elias Calles. U.S. government employees may not use taxi services in Nogales.
Eastern and southern Sonora (including San Carlos Nuevo Guaymas and Alamos): U.S. government employees may not travel to areas of Sonora east of Federal Highway 17, the road between Moctezuma and Sahuaripa, and State Highway 20 between Sahuaripa and the intersection with Federal Highway 16.
U.S. government employees may not travel to areas of Sonora south of Federal Highway 16 and east of Federal Highway 15 (south of Hermosillo), as well as all points south of Guaymas, including Empalme, Guaymas, Obregon, and Navojoa.
U.S. government employees may travel to San Carlos Nuevo Guaymas and Alamos; travel to Alamos is only permitted by air and within city limits.