By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat
Two were men killed after armed men attacked an Alcoholics Anonymous shelter in Acapulco, Guerrero last Sunday, 10 March.
The attack occurred around 2:40 pm at the “Fortaleza y Esperanza” (Strength and Hope) drugs and alcohol rehabilitation center on Ignacio Manuel Altamirano street in Ciudad Renacimiento, a neighborhood of Acapulco.
According to local news site Despertar de la Costa, there were two armed men, who entered the rehab center, shouting at the inhabitants to get on the floor. They then opened fire, killing one and wounding another, who would eventually die at a hospital, bringing the casualty toll to two dead.
Borderland Beat Analysis
Violent attacks against rehab centers, called “anexos”, are common in Mexico. These anexos are largely unregulated, operating without permits and government approval. They sometimes are sources of recruitment for criminal groups, making them a target for rivals. For example in the state of Guanajuato over 50 rehab centers were attacked by criminals between 2018 and 2022, reported Sin Embargo.