News-Site Owner Shot at in Chihuahua; Unharmed but Targeted at Home

September 11, 2025 – Mexico –

Alán Pallares Orozco, owner and director of a news website in Aldama, Chihuahua, survived an assassination attempt at his home. The attack took place late at night when two individuals on a motorcycle arrived, called his name, and fired at him at least twice as he was leaving his home to respond. Thankfully, Orozco was unharmed.

Authorities from the Aldama municipality were the first to respond after emergency services received the report. According to those initial accounts, the assailants approached his property, called him out directly, and once Orozco moved toward them, opened fire. No one else was reported injured.

The episode is part of a broader pattern of threats, attacks, and violence faced by journalists and media owners in Mexico, particularly in the north, where organized crime, corruption, and impunity frequently compromise press freedom and safety. Although the article does not attribute this specific incident to a known group or criminal organization, the modus operandi (motorcycle assailants, targeted firing) is consistent with other attacks on media figures.

Local organizations and press freedom advocates see this attempt not only as an assault on an individual but as intimidation against independent journalism more broadly. While Orozco was not physically harmed, the psychological and professional risks are substantial: attacks like these often force journalists into self-censorship, relocation, or abandoning investigative work.

So far, municipal authorities have reported the event, but the article does not indicate whether suspects have been identified or detained. It also does not detail whether there has been federal involvement or investigation, though media watchdogs generally call for more robust responses from state and national authorities in such cases.

This incident underscores the persistent danger facing media professionals throughout Mexico, where violence against journalists remains a grave concern. The survival of Pallares Orozco, while fortunate, does not erase the risk posed to press freedom in regions such as Chihuahua, where reporting often implicates political corruption, organized crime, or exposes local power abuses. More systemic measures are demanded by civil society to protect journalists, ensure investigations, and hold perpetrators accountable.

Reference – 

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/4228274147378-owner-of-mexican-news-site-survives-assassination-attempt-in-chihuahua

Owner of Mexican news site survives assassination attempt in Chihuahua