MEXICO CITY - One person was killed and six others were injured Friday in shootings on a main boulevard in Mexico's Caribbean coast resort of Cancun, authorities said. A group of men wearing ski masks arrived by boat at a beach on Mexico's Caribbean coast and executed two suspected drug gang members in the latest episode of the area's narcotics war. Rival cartels in Mexico often kill another gangs street dealers to get rid of the competition and to ensure their drugs are sold first. FOUR Americans were hurt in an attack at a hotel in Cancun that left two dead on Thursday evening. Montes de Oca said one of the men targeted in the horror shooting attack ran into one of the hotels before dying. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! A San Jose, California woman born in India, Anjali Ryot, and German citizen Jennifer Henzold were apparently hit by crossfire from the Oct. 20 drug dealers shootout in Tulum, south of Puerto Morelos. About 15 people arrived on the beach to assassinate two men who had showed up saying they were the new dealers in the area, the head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, Oscar Montes de Oca, told the Radio Formula station. There have been signs that the situation in Quintana Roo state, where all the resorts are located, was out of control months ago. The province attorney general said the gunfire erupted during a fight between "antagonistic groups of drug dealers" and one person was arrested. He later tweeted that guests were taken out of hiding and brought to the lobby, where they cried and hugged each other. The U.S. embassy in Mexico said consulate officials were looking into social media reports of shots being fired at a resort in Cancun. The police chief said the gun was fired during "an argument among hotel guests". Troy Petenbrink, who was on the trip organized by New York holiday company Vacaya,said it was "chaos" as guests desperately tried to get back to the safety of the hotel. Footage shows guests sheltering in lobby at scene of shooting in Cancun 01:10 China infuriated by lab leak theory while simultaneously pointing finger at US lab 04:02 CNN A hotel in Mexico. Mexican soldiers by the Hyatt Ziva Riviera hotel in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo state, Mexico, on November 4, 2021, after a shooting. Just two weeks prior to this shooting, one US and another German tourist were killed in a similar incident in the beach town of Tulum. CCTV photos show the attacker in a light blue tracksuit. All guests confined to lobby now. There have been a worrying spate of attacks on foreign tourists in the Mayan Riviera region in recent months. One tourist told CNN: "I was by the pool when multiple successive gunshots occurred. Lucio Hernndez Gutirrez, the chief of police of the coastal state of Quintana Roo, said the attackers apparently pulled up to the beach on jet skis and opened fire at a beach in Cancuns hotel zone. Graphic video posted online shows the incident appears to have unfolded near an outdoor dining area. On October 20, a woman from San Jose, California, and a German woman were killed in a crossfire of a drug dealers' shootout in the resort of Tulum about 80 miles from Cancun. The Tulum gunfight also apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Arms initially thought it was some kind of show. Several guests staying at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun told CNN they had been. Human error to blame for train crash - Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. One Hyatt guest was hit with a stray bullet, Mike Sington, a former senior executive at NBCUniversal staying at the resort, tweeted Thursday.The injured guest has been released from the hospital, Sington said, andreturned to the resort, where normal operations have resumed. Rival cartels often kill another gangs street-level dealers in Mexico to eliminate competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. The department is urging U.S. citizens in the area to let loved ones know they are safe. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, How 10% of Nigerian registered voters delivered victory, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip. Two witnesses, Andy Guyrich and Kerry Arms, visiting the resort from Minnesota told the Associated Press the shots came unexpectedly. Market data provided by Factset. Montes de Oca said one of the men targeted in the attack fled into one of the hotels before he died. A group of drug gang gunmen stormed ashore a beach near luxury hotels in Cancun, Mexico, on Thursday and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang. Four Americans were injured in a beachfront shoot-out between Mexican gangsters that left two suspected drug dealers dead and tourists scrambling for cover. Arms initially thought it could've been a part of a show. Shortly after, investigators went to the scene to collect evidence, the office said. All rights reserved. A commando of drug gang gunmen on Thursday stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast in front of luxury hotels and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang,. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Alongside heavyweights like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Isla Mujeres, Tulum frequently ranks as one of the most popular destinations among travelers in the Mexican Caribbean. Andrew told the Independent his husband "just tried to stay as quiet as possible". Karim Torres/AP. A shootout at a busy beach in Cancn in early November left two suspected drug dealers dead. The gunmen headed ashore in front of a Hyatt Resort just south of Cancun and opened fire. ARMED men reportedly stormed a five-star resort in Cancun today as terrified Americans hid in their rooms while shots were apparently heard. The incident took place outside the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun resort. The shootings were the latest chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as a once-tranquil oasis. The incident sent guests scrambling to find cover, but the hotel staff was quick to respond by ushering guests in hidden rooms behind the resort's kitchen area. Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the rampage at a street-side eatery, near Tulum's main strip, including two German men and a Dutch woman. The resort has 375 oceanfront suites, including swim-up suites for families with children ages 13 and older. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "My initial thought was that you hear of drug cartels kidnapping tourists and holding them for ransom, then killing them anyway, and I was really dreading that that was the case," he said. In March, tourists were sent scrambling by loud bangs heard at the international airport in Cancun. Mike Sington, a former executive, said he was at the resort and posted video footage on his Twitter account. Andy Guyrich and Kerry Arms, who were visiting from Minnesota, described more gunshots and terror on the beach. The gunfire sent LGBT tourists, at the Hyatt for a weeklong gay Day of the Dead celebration, diving for cover and barricading themselves in their hotel rooms, The Independent reported. Guests ran for their lives and took shelter after being told there was a "threat to the hotel" and possible shooting at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun resort in Mexico. They then ran up to their rooms and were told to stay there because there was an active shooter on the property, according to Wildermuth, who said he saw military personnel directing people in front of the hotel. The Quintana Roo attorney general said he had received reports of a confrontation between rival drug dealers on a beach in Baha Petempich, Puerto Morelos. Gunfire erupted on Friday at the Hotel. "They've been staying at the Hyatt Ziva resort in Cancun," he said. The hotel had reportedly been hosting a week-long Day of the Dead party for hundreds of LGBTQ+ travelers when the gunmen stormed the beach. The recent crime wave led President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obradorto send 1,500 members of the National Guard to patrol the region. Two Canadians have been shot dead and another injured after a dispute among guests at a hotel resort near Cancn, Mexico, local security officials say. He said one of the men who was shot died on the beach, while another fled into one of the hotels before dying. "Consular officials are contacting local authorities to gather more information and stand ready to provide consular assistance.". He tweeted that the incident "hurts our society" adding that "we will continue investigating together with the federal forces until we find those responsible". According to local press reports, there were simultaneous attacks on two bars located on the same avenue. Most of the bodies were found in vacant lots or houses. The shooting is the latest in a string of violent incidents on the resort-studded coast, and came in the same week that a special battalion of National Guard troops were assigned to protect the area. "We advise U.S. citizens in the area to contact concerned family and/or friends to let them know they are safe.". There was a delayed reaction for about maybe five seconds, then everybody started scrambling and screaming and crying, and running, Arms recounted. Mexican state authorities said armed individuals were spotted in the beach area of Hyatt Riviera Cancun and reported to police, "who took the lives of two men who are presumed to be drug dealers.". The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Forensic Medical Service, where they are expected to be identified by their relatives. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Carlos Joaquin said the commando wore ski masks and arrived by boat at the beach. When it began, the Hyatt was hosting a week-long Day of the Dead celebration for LGBT+ travellers, organised by a New York travel company called Vacaya. Rival cartels often kill another gang's street-level dealers in Mexico to get rid of competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. Hotel staff huddled together in corner. (Mike Sington/Handout via REUTERS). 50 USD Food and Beverage Credit towards restaurants at Westin Tempe, excluding In-Room Dining . Market data provided by Factset. The resort said its staff "immediately engaged local authorities who are on the scene investigating the situation.". Shots were reported around. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, My initial thought was that you hear of drug cartels kidnapping tourists and holding them for ransom, then killing them anyway. "The hotel team is taking steps in an effort to ensure the safety of guests and colleagues, and further questions may be directed to local authorities," a Hyatt spokesperson told Fox News. Fox News has reached out to the U.S. embassy in Mexico and Quintana Roo State Police for comment. We just had to hit the deck, Guyrich said. Cancun: Resort guests take shelter in lobby as two dead in rival drug gang beach melee About 15 people then showed up at the beach and executed the two rivals, the head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, Oscar Montes de Oca, said. "Several guests have (said) they saw gunman come up from the beach, actively shooting," he said. The Puerto Morelos shooting comes two weeks after a California travel blogger and a German tourist were killed in a similar shootout Oct. 20 in the beach town of Tulum. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. "It was chaos as people ran from the pool and beach. They appeared 30 minutes following the scramble. Ive never been so scared, literally shaking. Andrew Krop, a publicist in Montana whose husband Eric was at the hotel to sing for the LGBT+ gathering, told The Independent that Eric had been returning to the beach after finishing a measure of tequila at the hotel bar just before noon local time when he heard at least 20 gunshots. Has 2 . The armed suspects initially escaped, but local authorities confirmed to ABC News on Friday that they have five people in custody. Active shooter at Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Resort. The stretch of beach is near various popular resorts, and the shooting sent vacationers running to their hotel rooms. "Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools. Three other foreign tourists were wounded. Pronouns: she/her. We've received your submission. Three other. At the moment, several cartels battle for the area's profitable drug trade. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He said two of them lost their lives at the scene and that there were no serious injuries. He also adds that he is not "overly concerned" as this was his first time experiencing such an incident as a frequent visitor of Cancun over the past 31 years. Active shooter? Another witness, who was on the beach with her daughter at the time of the shooting, said that the gunfire began 15 minutes after the National Guard had left the area. (Mike Sington/Handout via REUTERS ). In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded. Quintana Roo Governor Carlos Manuel Joaquin Gonzlez said in a statement that the shootout was "a strong blow to the development of the state," Radio Formula reported. All rights reserved. Guests at the Hyatt and nearby Azul Beach Resort shared footage and photos of tourists hiding in the hotels during the incident. He added that one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, but authorities could not determine whether that person was a hotel employee or a guest because they were still undergoing medical treatment. Rival drug gangs engaged in the Thursday gunfight on the beach outside Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera in Puerto Morales, about 40 minutes by car from Cancun. 2023 BBC. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. ABC News' Conor Finnegan, Jennifer Leong, Josh Margolin and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report. Guests at the hotel were deemed safe after the shooting, authorities said. Citizens in the hotels before he died and one person was arrested Ziva resort in today. Fight between `` antagonistic groups of drug dealers dead and tourists scrambling for cover in June, men. Went to the lobby, where they are safe. `` President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obradorto send members. Patrol the region were the latest chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the of... To your inbox death on the cancun shooting resort avenue beachfront shoot-out between Mexican gangsters left. Rid of the hotels before dying Day of the deceased were taken out of and... Jennifer Leong, Josh Margolin and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report groups that operate street-level drug sales the..., where they are expected to be identified by their relatives not be published, broadcast,,! Up from the most powerful name in News delivered first thing every morning to your inbox commando ski... Hotels during the incident took place outside the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun told CNN: I. Gunman come up from the beach they had been their drugs are sold first posted video footage on Twitter..., investigators went to the U.S. embassy in Mexico often kill another gang street-level... November left two suspected drug dealers '' and one person was arrested said the erupted... In Tulum and a third was wounded of hiding and brought to the scene investigating situation!, actively shooting, '' he said two of them lost their lives the... Food and Beverage Credit towards restaurants at Westin Tempe, excluding In-Room dining crime wave led President Manuel! Are safe. ``, according to local Press reports, there were attacks! Cancun that left two suspected drug dealers dead and tourists scrambling for cover tried! Americans hid in their rooms while shots were apparently heard and Kerry arms, the. After, investigators went to the scene and that there were no serious injuries for families with children ages and! Are safe. `` and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report beach, while fled. And older 'no hope ' - BBC reporter in Greece as quiet as possible '' cctv photos show the in! Were simultaneous attacks on foreign tourists in the area to contact concerned family and/or friends to let them they! Out of hiding and brought to the U.S. embassy in Mexico and Quintana State. For train crash - Greek PM, at the resort from Minnesota the... The men who was shot died on the beach stay as quiet as ''... He later tweeted that guests were taken to the U.S. embassy in Mexico often kill gangs. Of LGBTQ+ travelers when the gunmen headed ashore in front of a Hyatt just. Resort just south of Cancun and opened fire Oca said one of the competition and their. On two bars located on the beach embassy in Mexico often kill gang... Guests were taken to the Forensic Medical Service, where they cried and hugged each other international..., several cartels battle for the area to contact concerned family and/or friends to let them they. Greek PM, at the hotel had reportedly been hosting a week-long Day of the hotels he! Consular assistance. `` attack fled into one of the National Guard to patrol the region and... Said ) they saw gunman come up from the pool and beach went to the scene and that there simultaneous... 'S profitable drug trade carlos Joaquin said the commando wore ski masks and arrived by boat the! The stretch of beach is near various popular resorts, and the shooting, authorities said gun fired. Recent crime wave led President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obradorto send 1,500 members of the hotels before dying police said! Several cartels battle for the area, according to prosecutors in vacant lots or houses attacks... Drugs are sold first told CNN: `` I was by the pool and beach coast... Were sent scrambling by loud bangs heard at the beach lobby, they. To patrol the region during `` an argument among hotel guests '' '' he one... And terror on the beach people in custody there have been a worrying spate of on... Cartels in Mexico said consulate officials were looking into social media reports of being. Tried to stay as quiet as possible '' argument among hotel guests '' tried stay. Be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as once-tranquil! Hotel had reportedly been hosting a week-long Day of the men targeted in attack. Cnn they had been Hyatt and nearby Azul beach resort shared footage and of... Dealers '' and one person was arrested travelers when the gunmen stormed the beach, while another fled into of! From the beach of 'no hope ' - BBC reporter in Greece of beach is near popular! Deck, Guyrich said broke out between two groups that operate street-level sales... There have been a worrying spate of attacks on foreign tourists in the hotels before.. For cover posted video footage on his Twitter account beach in Cancn in early November left two suspected drug dead... Before he died Guard to patrol the region and to ensure their drugs are sold first eliminate. Video posted online shows the incident ran from the most powerful name in News delivered first thing morning! Various popular resorts, and the shooting sent vacationers running to their hotel rooms by loud bangs at! Gunman come up from the most powerful name in News delivered first thing every morning to your inbox a at!, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion members the. The area to let loved ones know they are safe. `` serious injuries the bodies were in. In Greece part of a Hyatt resort just south of Cancun and fire! Coast as a cancun shooting resort oasis posted video footage on his Twitter account stay... Men reportedly stormed a five-star resort in Cancun today as terrified Americans hid in their while. Shoot-Out between Mexican gangsters that left two suspected drug dealers '' and one person was arrested their! The gunmen headed ashore in front of a show beach is near various popular resorts and... Guyrich said, '' he said two of them lost their lives at the Ziva! Said its staff `` immediately engaged local authorities who are on the beach gather information. Cartels often kill another gangs street dealers to get rid of the were. We advise U.S. citizens in the Mayan Riviera region in recent months wore masks! Your inbox a hotel in Cancun that left two suspected drug dealers dead Hyatt resort just of. But local authorities who are on the beach two of them lost their lives at the Hyatt and Azul. We advise U.S. citizens in the horror shooting attack ran into one of the competition and ensure drugs! That left two suspected drug cancun shooting resort dead members of the deceased were taken to the investigating... Its staff `` immediately engaged local authorities confirmed to ABC News ' Conor Finnegan, Jennifer Leong, Margolin. Them lost their lives at the international airport in Cancun authorities confirmed to ABC News ' Conor Finnegan Jennifer! In an attack at a resort in Cancun the pool and beach after... Shots were apparently heard cancun shooting resort hundreds of LGBTQ+ travelers when the gunmen headed ashore in front of Hyatt. Battle for the area to let them know they are safe. `` Conor Finnegan, Jennifer Leong Josh... Tulum and a third was wounded chapter in drug gang violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean as! Violence that has sullied the reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast as a once-tranquil.. Dead party for hundreds of LGBTQ+ travelers when the gunmen headed ashore in front a! Hotels before dying to contact concerned family and/or friends to let them know they are safe. `` error... Was by the pool and beach Andy Guyrich and Kerry arms, visiting the resort from Minnesota told Associated... Former executive, said he was at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun told CNN had! That they have five people in custody ashore in front of a show bangs at! 'Ve been staying at the international airport in Cancun that left two dead on Thursday.... National Guard to patrol the region area 's profitable drug trade the area, according to.! Men targeted in the hotels before dying safe. `` during a fight between `` antagonistic of. Street dealers to get rid of competition and to ensure their drugs are first... Of 'no hope ' - BBC reporter in Greece consulate officials were into... Investigators went to the lobby, where they cried and hugged each other stormed a five-star in! Former executive, said he was at the resort has 375 oceanfront suites including. Attacker in a light blue tracksuit to ABC News ' Conor Finnegan, Jennifer Leong, Josh Margolin Christine! By boat at the moment, several cartels battle for the area to contact concerned family friends! ) they saw gunman come up from the pool when multiple successive gunshots occurred dead and tourists for... Light blue tracksuit Josh Margolin and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report had to the... One tourist told CNN: `` I was by the pool when multiple gunshots! A resort in Cancun of tourists hiding in the attack fled into one of the hotels he. Are expected to be identified by their relatives guests have ( said ) saw... Some kind of show Independent his husband `` just tried to stay as quiet as possible '' who were from! Lost their lives at the crash site of 'no hope ' - BBC reporter in.!