[3] Chimalhuacán was founded 1259 by three chiefs or tlatoani named Huauxomatl, Chalchiutlatonac and Tlatzcantecuhtli.

The Spanish town of Chimalhuacán was founded in 1529 and the Dominicans built a church and monastery here in 1563.

[3] Although the city takes up almost all of the municipality, Chimalhuacán, as the municipal seat, has governing jurisdiction over the following communities: Colonia Nueva de Guadalupe la Palma, La Pista de los Corredores, Pista Aérea, Tlatel San Juan Xochiaca Parte Alta, and Zapotla.

The entry of the municipality has a monument to Chimalhucán, called Guerrero Chimalli, a 60-meter tall steel statue.

The attacker was nicknamed "La Degolladora" ("The Throat-Slitter", "The Slasher") by local and international press due to the use of knives to injure and kill people randomly.