The attack, which took place around 22:00 local time (UTC−05) on 23 May, was confirmed by general César Cervantes, commander general of the National Police of Peru, who informed about the mass shooting deaths of ten men, six women and two minors in a red-light zone bar in the locality. The Armed Forces of Peru released a statement prior to any investigations, naming Shining Path as the perpetrator, spreading confusion as the group had been long dissolved. The National Police cautioned that responsibility should be assigned following a full investigation. The Ministry of Defense would instead go on to say the attack was perpetrated by the Shining Path faction led by Comrade José. It gave the death toll of 14 people. Later investigations suggested that the MPCP was not involved and that the incident was instead a dispute related to drug trafficking. According to Jo-Marie Burt, the hurried manner in which the military and media in Peru described the attack as being perpetrated by Shining Path was an attempt to attack opposition to the conservative political establishment through an appeal to fear, especially using the terruqueo attack. OjoPúblico described the media release by the military as "an inaccurate reference to the Shining Path."
