Mexican authorities have apprehended three suspects believed to be involved in a brazen armed assault on a local football match that left at least 11 people dead and more than a dozen injured, officials said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on Sunday at an amateur football pitch near Salamanca, a city in Guanajuato state in central Mexico, when the afternoon game — attended largely by families and local residents — was drawing to a close. Armed assailants reportedly stormed the ground and opened fire without warning.

In a statement, Guanajuato’s Security Secretariat confirmed that the three arrests followed “various coordinated and targeted operations” conducted by security forces. The identities of the suspects, as well as specific charges, were not disclosed due to the confidential nature of the ongoing investigation.

Among those killed were five unarmed security guards employed at the football pitch. Preliminary investigations suggest that the guards may have been specifically targeted because they were working for a company allegedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful organised crime groups.

Authorities believe the suspected attackers were affiliated with the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, an organised crime faction based in Guanajuato that has been engaged in a violent turf dispute with the CJNG.

Guanajuato, a state known for its industrial significance and tourist destinations, has in recent years earned the unfortunate reputation as one of the deadliest regions in Mexico due to the persistent activities of rival drug cartels and escalating gun violence.

Federal and state law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the attack as they seek to determine the motive behind the deadly assault and to prevent further violence in the region.