Two Canadians killed, one injured in shooting at Mexican resort

Two Canadian tourists have reportedly been killed and another injured in a shooting at a hotel along Mexico’s Caribbean coast, state authorities said.

Quintana Roo state security chief Lucio Hernandez said via Twitter that authorities were searching for a Hotel Xcaret guest in the shooting. He shared a photo of a man walking with a handgun.

Este es el huésped que disparó ocasionando las lesiones que posteriormente provocaran la muerte a uno de ellos, las autoridades del grupo de coordinacion despliegan fuerte operativo para su captura, cualquier información para pronta detención estaremos profundamente agradecidos. pic.twitter.com/PRDC0hhBBe

— Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez (@Lucio_HG) January 21, 2022

The Xcaret resort is south of Playa del Carmen.

Hernandez said all three victims were taken to a hospital where one later died.

According to the official Twitter account of the Attorney General of the State of Quintana Roo, a second person has died. The account stated that the first victim was a woman who had an extensive criminal record involving drugs and weapons. The second victim, whose gender was not identified, was also said to have a criminal history.

There was no immediate indication where the Canadians were from.

Global Affairs Canada tells CityNews they are aware of reports that Canadian citizens have been affected by an incident in Mexico and that Consular officials are working with local authorities to gather more information and provide assistance.

It is just the latest brazen act of violence along Mexico’s famed Mayan Riviera, the crown jewel of its tourism industry.

In November, a shootout on the beach of Puerto Morelos left two suspected drug dealers dead. Authorities said there were some 15 gunmen from a gang that apparently disputed control of drug sales there.

In late October, further south in the laid-back destination of Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were caught in the apparent crossfire of rival drug dealers and killed.

Following those events, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sent nearly 1,500 members of the National Guard to reinforce security in the area.