Ten people were killed and 16 inmates were injured during a fight on Thursday at the El Castillo Penitentiary Centre in Mazatlan, according to the Sinaloa Public Security Secretariat. The incident involved inmates and resulted in the death of one visitor who was present at the facility.
Sinaloa’s Secretary of Public Security, Sinuhe Tellez, provided details of the event in a video statement. Tellez confirmed that nine of the deceased were inmates and the tenth was a visitor, whom he identified as a minor. He stated that the 16 injured inmates were transported to receive medical attention.
According to the secretariat, an inter-institutional group of security forces was deployed to the prison following the altercation. Tellez reported that the facility is now “under control” and that authorities remain on-site.
In the statement, Tellez also announced that visits to the prison have been suspended as a precautionary measure. He noted that social work staff are in the process of contacting the families of the deceased and that the rest of the prison population was secure.
The incident occurred in the state of Sinaloa, which the U.S. Department of State lists as one of six Mexican states under a “Do Not Travel” advisory for American citizens, citing risks of crime and kidnapping. The region is known for the presence and activity of organized crime groups, including factions of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Officials have not publicly commented on whether the fight at the El Castillo Penitentiary Centre was connected to conflicts between criminal organizations.
