CDS El Tatuado Arrested After Killing GESI Agent in Baja California

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat

A high ranking member of Los Oaxacos, affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel, called El Tatuado killed a GESI agent who was serving a warrant for his arrest in San Quintín, Baja California. After sieging the house that El Tatuado was barricaded inside for hours, authorities were able to arrest El Tatuado.

Sometime before 4:30 pm on May 27 2021, on Libertadores Street in the Chavez Barron (more commonly called Cinco Mil) neighborhood of San Quintin, a group of State Security and Investigation Guard (GESI, Baja California’s state police) agents arrived at house #100 in order to execute an arrest warrant for Adrián Barrón Casillas, alias "El Tatuado”. 

El Tatuado is believed to be a leading member of Los Oaxacos, a regional group that serves the Sinaloa Cartel in the state of Baja California. The GESI agents were ambushed by gunshots while trying to serve the arrest warrant. Agent Christian Eduardo Uribe Garcia sustained a serious gunshot wound to the neck. Agent Uribe Garcia requested support via police radio. The shooters barricaded themselves inside a building. 

Municipal and Ministerial police, accompanied by members of the National Guard arrived at the scene of the attack. Uribe Garcia was placed into a patrol vehicle and driven away, in the direction of a hospital. At 4:36pm, a Red Cross ambulance that had been dispatched for Uribe was able to intercept the patrol car he was being driven in. At the Santa Isabel Hotel, located on the highway, paramedics tried to administer medical aid to Uribe Garcia but he no longer showed vital signs. Uribe Garcia was driven in the ambulance to ISSSTECALI hospital where he was formally declared deceased.

In a video taken by Dejando Huella Noticiero, a San Quintín news company, a pickup truck with National Guard men can be seen arriving in the area. Just as their vehicle slows to stop on a street near the house, shots are fired at them. The National Guard members can be seen ducking behind their vehicle, taking cover from the assailants in an unknown position. Eventually, one of the National Guard members gets in the truck and slowly drives it forward, with the men crouched behind the truck following in step thereby moving their cover into a better position. 

At 4:56 GESI, Municipal police and National Guard members pushed into the house the suspects were barricaded in. They were aiming to enter the house at the point where the shots that hit Uribe Garcia originated from; presumably thinking it likely that the shooter had not been able to move positions since. 

No details are given on how the building entry went or how the arrest was achieved but representatives of GESI later announced that Adrián Barrón Casillas, alias "El Tatuado” was arrested. The charges against him that led to his arrest warrant are double homicide and attempted homicide. 

It is likely the double homicide El Tatuado is wanted in connection for is that of two twenty five year olds on March 23 2021. The two men reportedly got into an argument with members of Los Oaxacos at a bar called Brasil.

 

Christian Eduardo Uribe Garcia was 29 years old at the time of his death. His brother Noé Uribe García, who was also a GESI agent, also died in the line of duty just fifteen months before Christian. Noé was only 26 years old at the time of his death. Christian Uribe was born in Ensenada, Baja California. The prosecutor’s office reports that in the last three months, Christian had participated in dozens of operations and arrests of wanted hitmen in the San Quintin and Ensenada area. 

As previously covered on Borderland Beat, Los Oaxacos are a criminal group based in the state of Baja California who mainly operate in San Quintín, Ensenada and Tijuana. Their name likely derives from their lineage coming from the state of Oaxaca. There was a large population of people from Oaxaca who migrated to work in Baja California on large agricultural projects. 

They operate on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel, whether they are Los Chapitos or Mayo aligned not specified in news reports. They are used frequently as hitmen and sell methamphetamine as a street level enterprise. Alexis Barrón Medina alias “El Pelirrojo” (The Redhead) was thought to be the leader of hitmen for Los Oaxacos until his recent death on May 2 2021, as previously covered here.  Interesting to note that a previous leader of Los Oaxacos named Hector Antonio Salazar Monzón alias "El Oaxaco" used to work for Alfonso Arzate Garcia, alias "El Aquiles", who is a Baja Sinaloa cartel leader to this day. El Oaxaco was murdered in 2012.

Note: Some reports say both GESI and the National Guard were initially present in order to serve the arrest warrant. Some reports say only GESI was present and that National Guard members came to support after Uribe Garcia was shot.

Sources: ZETA Tijuana Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Puente Libre, Segundo a Segundo, Punto Norte, Ensenada.net Article 1, Article 2