10/25/25 (written by els5 | 13 minute reading time) – On September 22 2025, Jesús Israel Hernández Chaves, 16, was attacked at a Mexico City high school by a classmate and later died of his injuries. Hernández’s brutal murder drew widespread public attention and debate about the problem of violence on Mexican school campuses. High schools and universities have been increasing their security measures to ensure student safety, increasing resources towards mental health care, and educating the community on how to respond to violent weapons being in their presence to help reduce violence. The Hernández killing provides some insight on the problem, and underscores the need for further efforts to assist educators and parents.
An Unprovoked Attack
The attack took place on a Monday afternoon, around 1pm, while Hernández was accompanying his girlfriend, Guadalupe, in the parking lot of one of the buildings of the College of Sciences and Humanities South campus (Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades Sur – CCH), located in the neighborhood of Coyoacán in Mexico City. While Hernández and his girlfriend were eating lunch on the second floor of the parking garage, Lex Ashton ‘N’, aged 19, proceeded to attack Hernández with a scythe-like bladed weapon, stabbing him in the neck and abdomen. During the attack, an administrative worker, Armando ‘N,’ 65, sustained injuries while attempting to intervene in the attack.
Hernández’s assailant was later cornered by students and staff and attempted to escape by climbing to the third floor of the building for Languages and Counseling (Idiomas y Asesorías – IM). There, he appeared to attempt to commit suicide by jumping from the building, but wound up badly injured with a blood clot in his brian and fractures in both of his legs. The assailant was subsequently transferred to Calzada del Hueso accompanied by three police officers, and was placed under the custody of the Secretary of Citizen Security of Mexico City (Secretaría de Seguridad Ciudadana – SCC de la Ciudad de México).
The following day, September 23, Hernandez Chaves’s body was turned over to his family. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death for Jesús Israel Hernández Chaves was due to a wound caused by a sharp instrument that injured the anatomical structures of the neck. The university has offered support to Israel’s family in wake of the attack.
An arrest order was issued for the assailant while he was completing his hospital stay, with the warrant issued on October 7, 2025. He was arrested following his release from the Mexican Social Security Institute on October 10, 2025, in the afternoon. His first hearing was the following day, Saturday the 11th, where he was sentenced to preventive detention, at the Judiciary of Mexico city in Doctores neighborhood, part of the Cuauhtémoc borough. The hearing began around 3:30 pm and ended at 5:00 pm, where his attorney, David Retes, claimed that he (the assailant) was experiencing psychotic episodes and ‘out of touch.’ The assailant is currently being held in the Eastern Men’s Preventive Prison (Reclusorio Preventivo Varonil Oriente).
U.S. and Incel Influences on the Assailant
At the time that he allegedly committed the crime, Lex Ashton “N” was a current student at CCH South and was set to finish at the preparatory school this year, with just a few subjects pending. His statements to hospital staff suggested that he may have been influenced by U.S. school killings. Specifically, Mexican newspaper Reforma indicated that the assailant wrote that he was “inspired by what happened in the United States. I wanted to fuck up six guys but could only do one because another asshole grabbed me.”
Meanwhile, pictures and messages left on his Facebook account also appeared to provide an indication of his intentions and motives. His pictures featured him posing with weapons, including the scythe he allegedly used in the attack. Photos also included other bladed weapons like karambits. The assailant’s posts also gave an indication of his state of mind and intentions, including one on the day of the attack that stated “scum like me have the mission of picking up garbage.” Another of his posts read: “I am tired of this world, never in my goddamn life have I received the love of a woman and the truth hurts me, that the ‘chads’ can enjoy the ‘foids’ and not me, I have already lost everything, I don’t have a job nor family nor friends, I don’t have the motivation to continue living. But, you know what, I don’t think I’ll go alone, I will pay back all those bitches and everyone is going to see it in the news. I am going to thank the ‘brocels’ that have supported me with the idea, they are the only thing that I am going to miss from this world, but that doesn’t matter anymore, see you in hell.”
His posts appeared to reflect attitudes in alignment with the “involuntary celibate” or “incel” movement, which the U.S. National Institute of Health refers to as “a loose collection of individuals who are experiencing sexlessness despite their desire to be active.” Originating from Alana’s Involuntary Celibacy Project (the first instance of the term being used) a website that initially spanned age, genders, and sexual orientations, the community splintered into a male-dominated movement after founder Alana left the platform. The terms used by the Assailant in his posts, including “chads,” “foids,” and “brocels” are terms popular within the community. “Chads” are defined as an “archetypal male believed to be favored by society due to stereotypically Aryan good looks, genes, bone structure, hair, and height,” according to Canadian startup Moonshot. Moonshot also defines “foids” as “a shortened version of ‘femanoid’, which is a combination of female and humanoid.” It is believed that the incel community uses “foids” as a term to dehumanize and degrade women. Finally, the term “brocel” can be viewed as “brother incels” or “bro incels.”
Problems with Mental Illness and Bullying
On the day he committed the crime, his mother noticed that her son was leaving the home armed, and decided to call 911. He had a complex relationship with his family as well, although he sought treatment for his mental health struggles. The assailant’s father was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and abandoned the family home when he was six years old. His sister had attempted suicide in 2015 battling a history of depression.
At the beginning of 2024, Lex Ashton “N” showed symptoms of depression and went to the psychologist for six months, reporting partial improvement. However, in August 2024, his emotional symptoms intensified, linked to a kidney stone diagnosis, chronic pain, and insomnia. A medical report highlighted that he also experienced bradypsychia (slowed thinking), bradylalia (slowed speech), poor affective resonance, and a narrow attention span. However, no psychosis, delusional ideas, or suicidal thoughts were displayed during the attack. The Mexican Social Security Institute (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social – IMSS) noted that at the time of the attack the teen was suffering from a moderate major depressive episode, along with a probable sociopathic personality disorder. No family members visited the assailant in the hospital.
Outside of his incel views and mental health problems, Ashton’s crime was also motivated by severe bullying he endured during his childhood. He stated that “I have had homicidal ideas for many years due to bullying, because yesterday I went to school with homicidal intentions, inflicting fatal injuries on a third unknown person.”
A Closer Look at Violence in Mexican Schools
One of the first recorded attacks on school grounds in Mexico was in 2002, when a resident of Ecatepec ran over children in a daycare after they refused to make way for his truck. Additional incidences that include violence include the 2023 attack on a professor after failing the student on a history exam. Since then there have been at least 10 publicly reported violent incidents on school campuses in Mexico, as demonstrated by this interactive ArcGIS visualization which shows the locations, number of fatalities and injuries, the type of perpetrator (student or adult) and the weapons used in each attack.
This Flourish Map reflects the nine attacks (non-gun related) that have occurred in Mexico in the 21st century. Click the picture to see the interactive map.
Based on these cases, it appears that incidences of on-campus violence with weapons other than firearms (armas blandas) have been on the rise, gathering the attention of local and national news. Given the trajectory of school violence observers worry that this attack may be part of a growing trend that appears likely to continue unless Mexican authorities and educators take action to prevent further incidents. It is important to note that these attacks are not related to the organized crime syndicates operating in Mexico.
On-Campus Responses to the Violence
In response, the Autonomous National University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México – UNAM) canceled in-person classes in response to the attack on the CCH South Campus while they evaluate and make changes to current security measures. Following the attack at CCH South, various campuses across the National Autonomous University of Monterrey (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Monterrey – UNAM) faced threats, causing more than 30 campuses to suspend in-person classes.
Outside of the UNAM system, universities across Mexico have reevaluated their security measures and have made investments into infrastructure meant to reduce violence and to support students. The National Pedagogical University (Universidad Pedagógica Nacional – UPN) has replaced the private security company that was protecting the University with the Banking and Industrial Police, who will have officers patrolling all of its units in Mexico CIty. The University will also be installing reflectors, better maintenance of light fixtures, and creating ‘violet points’ to handle general violence situations.
The Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla – BUAP) activated security protocols in coordination with the state and municipal police, a K-9 unit, and the State’s Attorney General following widespread violent threats against the College of Computer Sciences. Although classes will continue normal operations, the institution has strengthened patrols and has enabled a 24-hour emergency line for its student community.
For UNAM and its campuses, departments and schools have adopted extraordinary measures in an attempt to improve student security. The Economics department has diffused a specific protocol to face social media threats, while the Psychology department called to prioritize emotional attention and strengthen psychological support services. The FES (Department of Higher Studies, Facultad de Estudios Superiores) Zaragoza has hardened control access; students and workers can only enter the building with a card or official ID. The department of Medicine has launched a special program from the Local Security Commission to instruct the community on how to act in the presence of explosive devices or arms in enclosed spaces.
University authorities have been engaged in dialogue on how to gradually return to campus. In mid-October, the university authorities began negotiating with administration to hire additional positions. Within a week from the mid-October meeting, the authorities were meant to propose an analysis on the ideal number of security guards needed on campus to increase safety and public trust.
Ensuring School Safety on Campuses: Operation Backpack and President Sheinbaum’s Response
In response to the stabbing at CCH South, President Sheinbaum released a statement September 23rd regarding the stabbing and overall safety of schools. In her remarks, she said that she was in communication with UNAM and with Israel Hernández’s family about their loss, providing support. She also said that it was important to analyze this specific case and the circumstances the attacker was facing. She said that the Undersecretariat of Upper Secondary Education is working on peace and addiction prevention programs in high school and middle schools with group activities to promote dialogue and safe environments. She said that she would support both students and authorities in their pursuit of better security in the wake of testimonies alleging that there were security flaws and blasted campus authorities.
Weeks after the attack, President Sheinbaum announced that she will launch a national strategy to take care of teenage mental health in the wake of the attack. The strategy aims to be a ‘comprehensive program to support youth in addition to the security aspect.’ It also will have the Security Cabinet conducting investigations, by request of the Attorney General’s office and from UNAM, of individuals who may be causing violence to issues related to crime. The program will start in Mexico City with the goal of becoming nationwide. The goal of the program is to provide spaces for teens to seek support for mental health situations and report them if necessary. It also allows them to learn about what is being spread on social media, primarily by groups that are generated by ‘certain phenomena.’
Sheinbaum stated that while she has not reached out to the UNAM Rector directly at the time of her public statement, the Ministry of the Interior (Secretaria de Gobernación – Segob) has been working with him. The federal security cabinet, along with the Ministry of the Interior, and the Mexico City Attorney General’s Office are collaborating on assisting in the investigations. Sheinbaum also made it known that only some UNAM campuses are closed for security reasons, while others are closed for administrative reasons.
Operation Safe Backpack (Operativo Mochila Segura) is a security protocol driven by the Secretary of Public Security that seeks to work with schools and the Ministry of Education to increase security for its students. The Operation began in response to the fatal shooting that took place in Torreón in January of 2020, as part of the Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) administration, from 2018 to 2024. It was a reintroduction of the Operation from the Enrique Peña Nieto administration, with the leader governing from 2012 to 2018. https://www.telemundo.com/noticias/amp/tmna3644301
The National Human Rights Commission (Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos – CNDH) determined that the Operation Safe Backpack under the Peña Nieto administration violated the human rights to education, privacy and participation of students attending public and private elementary schools in Mexico City. The communication from the CNDH stated that the operation was an act of harassment and criminalization to children, rather than protecting and caring about children exercising their rights. This was due to the directive having security authorities inspecting backpacks to ensure that no objects suitable for aggression like firearms, sharp objects, and toxic substances were not brought onto campuses.
Moving Past the Tragedy
While the family of Jesús Israel Hernández Chaves may never fully recover in their grief over losing a loved one, nor will they ever truly receive justice, they can see that what their son endured has forced the government to have more safeguards for students. It also motivated the government to invest in more mental health resources to help students gain the support they need, to help reduce overall violence on campuses.
