Violence in Mexico is reaching into places once considered safe, a hospital worker was gunned down inside a social security hospital in Montemorelos, Nuevo León. Luis Yerena, known among colleagues as El Chato, was shot and killed in the early hours of Saturday, May 24, in an incident that has left the country's medical community shaken.
Yerena had just finished his shift at Hospital General de Subzona No. 11 when he noticed he was being followed. Security footage and early reports suggest he ran back into the facility seeking safety. But the gunmen followed him in, straight into the area where patients receive care, and opened fire.
Despite desperate attempts by coworkers to revive him, Yerena succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators recovered spent shell casings believed to be from a handgun, and surveillance footage is now under review.
#MONTEMORELOS _ El hombre que resultó lesionado tras ser atacado a balazos por hombres armados que ingresaron a la clínica del IMSS, perdió la vida.
— Periódico HOY (@PeriodicoHoyNL) May 24, 2025
El hombre fue identificado como Luis Yerena, quien trabajaba como camillero, de la clínica ubicada sobre Avenida José María Parás pic.twitter.com/qtjXePgODq
Still No Motive, No Arrests
As of now, no suspects have been identified, and the motive remains unclear. State authorities opened an investigation and are analyzing security footage and collecting witness statements. The hospital remains open but under heightened vigilance.
Yerena's death has left a painful void among hospital staff. Known for his work ethic and warm nature, his killing has triggered not only grief but also serious concerns about the safety of healthcare workers in a region already grappling with organized crime.
A Broader Pattern of Violence in Mexico's Hospitals
Yerena's murder isn't an isolated tragedy. In fact, violence inside hospitals has become a worrying trend across Mexico.
Just recently in Tijuana, a hitman disguised as a nurse walked into a hospital and fatally shot a woman who had survived an earlier attack. The victim, Wendy Lizeth Martínez Quezada, had been admitted after being shot outside a convenience store. Surveillance footage captured the moment the disguised gunman entered her hospital room and fired the fatal shots before fleeing.
The case drew national and international attention, raising questions about the effectiveness of hospital security. Even though National Guard troops were reportedly present at the facility, they failed to intervene. Authorities later arrested a suspect dressed in medical scrubs, but like in Yerena's case, the motive remains unknown.
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