Doctor ‘executed’ outside his private hospital in Tijuana

SAN DIEGO ( Border Report ) — The medical director at Hospital Arcángeles, a private hospital in Tijuana, was “executed” Thursday morning while sitting in the parking lot of the facility, police said.

Investigators say the victim is Dr. Joaquín Merlos Barajas, who was 65 years old.

A security guard was also shot, but his wounds are not considered life-threatening.

In February of last year, Merlos Barajas, who was a plastic surgeon, was suspended by Baja California’s Protocols and Sanitary Risks Commission after a woman died while under his care at the hospital.

The doctor was also under investigation in the United States after being accused of insurance fraud.

Abraham Sánchez Frehem, director of the Medical Health Cluster, an influential medical association in Tijuana, said the medical community is saddened by “the tragic event and hopes the authorities catch those responsible and brings them to justice.”

Investigators say right now they do not have a motive for the attack on Merlos Barajas.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.