-Editorial
A violent altercation that erupted in the early morning of Saturday, August 9, on First Street in front of the downtown Calexico Port of Entry has sparked alarm among residents after a video of the incident went viral on local social media.
The footage shows a chaotic scene involving a group of men and women engaged in a brawl steps away from the pedestrian crossing. At one point in the video, several individuals can be seen punching and kicking a man until he collapses onto the street, appearing unconscious.
The video also captures security personnel stationed at the port of entry watching the altercation but not intervening. A white taxi cab is seen moving, but doesn’t intervene as well. Their lack of response has drawn criticism from people who say they should have done something to stop the fight and help the person being attacked.
Social media users circulated a photo showing some of the people involved earlier that night at a bar in Mexicali before returning to Calexico.
Calexico Police Department stated in a press release that they received a 911 call reporting a violent altercation involving multiple individuals in the 200 block of East First Street, with one reportedly armed with a baseball bat. Officers arrived within two minutes and found a 39-year-old man suffering from blunt force trauma to the face and bleeding from the head. The suspects had fled before police arrived, prompting an immediate investigation that included interviews, evidence collection, and review of surveillance footage.
After an extensive investigation, Calexico detectives identified all suspects and, on Monday, August 11, 2025, served a search warrant at a suspect’s residence, though the individual was not present. Hours later, two suspects turned themselves in, including the alleged primary aggressor, 33-year-old Calexico resident Victor Zavala-Avila, who was booked into Imperial County Jail on attempted murder charges.
Police also addressed misinformation from cell phone footage shared online, confirming the victim is alive.
