SAA event in Mexico on Mon 5th October 2026

A cyclist recording his ride along a road in the municipality of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, found himself caught in the middle of a shootout that erupted beside the highway between rival cartel factions—*La Mayiza* and *La Chapiza*—who were exchanging fire while traveling in the opposite direction. Currently, Mazatlán is the only territory still partially controlled by *La Chapiza*; this has fueled paranoia among *Los Chapos*, who have abducted several tourists, mistaking them for operatives of *Los Mayos*. Upon hearing the relentless bursts of gunfire, the cyclist stopped abruptly and threw himself onto the asphalt to save his life, capturing the entire event on his personal video camera. This incident is part of an ongoing wave of violence sweeping through the state, driven by internal power struggles between rival organized crime factions—a conflict that has triggered clashes, high-speed pursuits, and shootouts along highways and roads connecting municipalities in the southern part of the state.