VZCZCXRO7729
PP RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS
DE RUEHTM #1144/01 3171723
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131723Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL TIJUANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9509
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 6451
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHTM/AMCONSUL TIJUANA 2294

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIJUANA 001144 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/WHA, DS/TIA/PII, AND MEXICO CITY FOR RSO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC KCRM PINS MX CASC
SUBJECT: RECENT SHOOTING INCIDENTS NEAR US CONGEN TIJUANA 
 
TIJUANA 00001144  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.    (SBU) U.S. Consulate General Tijuana's Law Enforcement 
Working Group (LEWG) reports two recent incidents of shooting 
near the U.S. Consulate General (USCG).  Mission personnel were 
not involved in the incidents, but they occurred within a few 
blocks of where Mission personnel work and live, on the main 
thoroughfare where staff commutes. 
 
¶2.    (SBU) The two separate shooting incidents were not aimed 
at USCG staff nor facilities, but rather at Mexico federal 
preventative police (PFP) staying at nearby hotels.  Neither 
USCG staff nor any Mexico officials were injured, but one 
by-stander was injured during the first shooting and died within 
a few hours in a local hospital. 
 
¶3.    (SBU) During the rotating assignments, Mexico federal 
officers from PFP and federal investigative agency (AFI) reside 
in several local hotels located on Boulevard Agua Caliente, a 
main street about two blocks from the USCG.  In Tijuana, Mexico 
federal police officers are assigned for temporary tours lasting 
from six months to a year.  The temporary assignments, instead 
of permanent assignments, are an attempt to reduce corruption by 
local drug cartels. Their residence at the local hotels is 
visible to the public due to uniformed presence by officers with 
shoulder weapons posted at the street entrances. 
 
¶4.     (U) On Saturday, November 7, 2009, at approximately 2130 
hours, dozens of shots were fired from a vehicle into the front 
entrance lobby of the Hotel Corona Plaza located at Blvd. Agua 
Caliente no. 1426, Tijuana, Baja California C.P. 22410. A 
presumed drug cartel vehicle drove up to the sidewalk at the 
front hotel entrance and fired high-powered weapons into the 
glass entry doors. The hotel entrance is adjacent to the 
sidewalk and street, with no setback.  Bullet holes were visible 
on the front building facade on street and second levels.  A 
by-stander was injured and died later, but no PFP officers were 
were injured. The Hotel Corona Plaza is approximately one-half 
mile from eight Mission residencies and the USCG Tijuana Annex 
building where Non-Immigrant Visa services are provided.  The 
Hotel Corona Plaza is two miles from the USCG Tijuana Main 
building, and approximately one mile from the Principal 
Officer's residence (CGR). 
 
¶5.   (SBU) A second shooting by alleged drug cartel members 
occurred on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, at approximately 2230 
hours.  Local pslice contacts reported that two or more moving 
vehicles travelling on Blvd. Agua Caliente opened fire with 
automatic weapons from both sides of the vehicles at two motels 
located on opposite sides of the same street (ie. drive-by 
shooting).  The two motels were:  the Motel Real Inn De Tijuana, 
Blvd Agua Caliente No. 11451. Col: Hipodromo; Tijuana, Baja 
California 22420; and Motel Golf: Blvd. Agua Caliente No. 11420, 
Tijuana, Baja California. 
 
¶6.   (SBU) This shooting was aimed at the Real Inn hotel, 
however no injuries resulted.  Police contacts revealed that, 
although not publicly released, investigators found a threat 
message at the scene stating that aPFP officer named Vicente 
Lagunas, nicknamed `Lumpa', was the target of both attacks. 
Mexico military is assisting with investigation of allegations 
that the named officer and others were involved in corruption 
related to the disposition of drug evidence seized from a 
cartel.  Aside from the PFP officers at this motel, also housed 
were some citizen detainees, reportedly under `house arrest' 
pending criminal charges. 
 
¶7.   (SBU) During the last incident, the volley of shots from 
various weapon types could clearly be heard at the USCG Main 
building, at four Mission residences within the block, and also 
a mile away at the CGR. The two motels targeted in the second 
shooting are located within one-half mile of the USCG Tijuana 
Main building and several Mission residences, and within one 
mile of the CGR.  None of the hotels involved in the shooting 
incidents are utilized by Post or by TDY visitors.  However, 
Boulevard Agua Caliente is a main thoroughfare and contains 
numerous hotels, including the nearby utilized Marriott, located 
at Boulevard Agua Caliente No. 11553, Tijuana, Baja California 
22420 Mexico. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Drug cartel or organized crime groups attacks on 
Mexico municipal level, state, and federal police agencies have 
been increasingly bold and visible in the last six months in 
Tijuana.  There have been forty policemen murdered in Baja 
California so far in 2009, during coordinated attacks on police 
stations, fixed posts, and marked police vehicles.  Cartels have 
announced in `narco-messages' left at crime scenes and on the 
municipal police radio frequency, that they will continue 
killing police until Tijuana Public Safety and Security 
Secretary, Lt. Col. Julian Leyzaola, resigns his leadership of 
the municipal agencies.  Publicly, Leyzaola has announced in 
 
TIJUANA 00001144  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
response that he will not resign, and will continue his clean-up 
and anti-corruption efforts. 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU) RSO and Post's law enforcement representatives (LEWG) 
will remain in close contact with local U.S. contacts regarding 
developments, and with local Mexican law enforcement 
counterparts for sharing of any details of investigation.  Post 
will continue to monitor the situation in 
Baja California. For comments or questions, please contact RSO 
at 011-52-664-622-7464. 
KASHKETT