A judge was fatally shot on Wednesday, December 11, in Acapulco, a once-glamorous beach destination now notorious for its violence, according to local media and the Guerrero state prosecutor’s office.

The victim, identified by local reports as Edmundo Román Pinzón, president of Guerrero State’s Superior Court of Justice, was reportedly attacked in his car outside a courthouse in Acapulco, sustaining at least four gunshot wounds.

The Guerrero state prosecutor’s office confirmed an investigation into the “aggravated homicide of Edmundo N,” adhering to a policy of withholding full names.

This incident adds to a grim string of violent crimes in Guerrero. In October, Chilpancingo’s mayor was murdered and decapitated days after taking office. Weeks later, clashes between suspected gang members and security forces resulted in 19 deaths, and last month, a dozen dismembered bodies were discovered in vehicles in Chilpancingo.

Acapulco, once a hub for celebrities and wealthy tourists, has seen its reputation deteriorate due to escalating violence, much of it tied to drug cartels, making it one of the world’s most dangerous cities.

The killing occurred just over a week after President Claudia Sheinbaum hosted a National Public Security Council meeting in Acapulco, attended by state governors.

Since 2006, when Mexico initiated a government crackdown on organized crime, the nation has recorded over 450,000 homicides, largely attributed to drug-related violence.

President Sheinbaum, who became Mexico’s first female president in October, has rejected the revival of the controversial “war on drugs” approach. Instead, she pledged to continue former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s “hugs not bullets” policy, which focuses on addressing the social causes of crime through development programs.

Despite these efforts, Guerrero remains one of Mexico’s most violent regions, recording 1,890 murders last year alone.