Two witnesses, Andy Guyrich and Kerry Arms, visiting the resort from Minnesota told the Associated Press the shots came unexpectedly. The other was killed on the beach. He told a local radio station that "about 15 people arrived on the beach to assassinate the two men," The Associated Press reported. They included two German men and a Dutch woman. 8.8 mi (14.1 km) from Tempe. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Police in Playa del Carmen recently arrested 26 people, most of them reportedly for drug sales, after an officer was shot dead and locked in a car boot. Rival cartels often kill another gangs street-level dealers in Mexico to eliminate competition and ensure their drugs are sold first. A shootout between rival drug gangs at a ritzy Cancun resort left four Americans hurt, according to reports. The administration of President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador has pinned its hopes on the so-called Maya Riviera, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula. Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana is only 15 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) along the shores of Juanillo Beach. Gunfire erupted on Friday at the Hotel Xcaret Mexico in the tourist town of Playa del Carmen, about 70km (45 miles) south of Cancn on the Caribbean coast. BORDER EXPERT: TERRORIST LABELS FOR MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS LONG OVERDUE. The U.S. State Department is following the incident and "working closely with local authorities to determine if any U.S. citizens were affected," a spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News. We are now working hand in hand with our hotel partner to calm and nurture our guests., LGBT tourists at five star Cancun resort dash for shelter as rival drug dealers battle on Mexican beach, Shocking video shows moment police called by Southwest accused mother of kidnapping biracial daughter, Disabled activist dies after United Airlines destroyed her custom wheelchair, Restoring Mexico's mangroves can shield shores, store carbon, Latinos with dark skin face more discrimination, study finds, Migrant Oregon weed workers face threats amid illegal boom, the Hyatt was hosting a week-long Day of the Dead celebration for LGBT+ travellers, Chicago police chief, U.S. attorney resign after Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection. (Mike Sington/Handout via REUTERS). CCTV photos show the attacker in a light blue tracksuit. My initial thought was that you hear of drug cartels kidnapping tourists and holding them for ransom, then killing them anyway. 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. Shortly after, investigators went to the scene to collect evidence, the office said. The other was killed on the beach. The victim was welcomed back to the resort Friday to cheers from gathered guests. It is not the first time that tourists have been caught in the crossfire of such battles. The U.S. embassy in Mexico said consulate officials were looking into social media reports of shots being fired at a resort in Cancun. 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. A shootout involving rival gangs on a beach near the Mexican resort of Cancn has left two suspected drug dealers dead, prosecutors say. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Mexico issued a statement about the incident, advising American citizens to contact the U.S. Consulate in Merida if they needed assistance. Then, around 2:10 p.m., "a group of 15 subjects appeared who went directly to the two people who remained in the beach area, capturing one of them, while another ran into a lodging center where he was finally killed, while the other subject was deprived of liberty and then meters away of his life," the office added. "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. The chief police of the coastal state of Quintana Roo said the incident occurred Tuesday when the suspects pulled up dressed as soldiers and began shooting in Cancun's hotel zone. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. (Mike Sington/Handout via REUTERS ). A Hyatt spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News that they are "aware of a developing situation at Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun. The other three sustained minor injuries. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The shooting comes nearly two weeks after two female tourists were killed during an apparent drug gang shootout in the Mexico resort destination of Tulum. The shooting happened on a beach in Baha Petempich,. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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The resort hotspot is set to become even more popular with the completion of the Maya Train later this year, allowing thousands of travelers to visit the destination on a daily . Weve been coming down for 31 years and weve never had any issues.. Mike Sington, a former executive, said he was at the resort and posted video footage on his Twitter account. pic.twitter.com/fL9BP7Jisb, Mike Sington (@MikeSington) November 4, 2021. Three other. Terrorist or kidnapping threat? Two of the alleged gang members died, the office said. Legal Statement. Montes de Oca said the gunment fled in a boat after the attack. Hernndez Gutirrez said the jet skis had been found and seized. Three other Americans sustained minor injuries and did not require hospitalization, a US official confirmed to ABC News. No one appeared to be injured, authorities said. 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. Newsweek has contacted Quintana Roo state's prosecutor's office for comment. 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. Legal Statement. Thanks for contacting us. It is not the first time that tourists have been caught in the crossfire of such battles. The head prosecutor of Quintana Roo state, Oscar Montes de Oca, said that the two people who were killed had arrived in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun earlier in the day claiming it was their territory. "Consular officials are contacting local authorities to gather more information and stand ready to provide consular assistance.". In another, he appears to hold a mobile phone and a third photo shows him sitting in a lounge chair. In October, an American and a German tourist were killed in crossfire between two drug gangs in the resort town of Tulum. That individual is currently doing well at a local hospital, is surrounded by friends and family, and is we hope will return to the resort shortly. Vacayas co-founder Patrick Gunn said: Vacaya can confirm there was a gang-related shooting incident near the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun on November 4 and it was in no way a targeted attack on the LGBT+ community. pic.twitter.com/Hf7SRzRJIZ. A US official briefed on the incident confirmed to ABC News that the Americans were hurt, with one reportedly shot but recovering well in hospital and the other three sustaining minor injuries. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Features 2 outdoor pools, 3 spa tubs, and 4 outdoor tennis courts. A statement from Quintana Roo's public safety secretary confirmed that two armed individuals were seen on the resort's beach area. or redistributed. The assailants arrived by boat and wore ski masks, officials said. An American vacationing in Cancun confirmed to ABC News that he heard shots fired while at the Hyatt Ziva Hotel in Puerto Morelos. Graphic video posted online shows the incident appears to have unfolded near an outdoor dining area. At least one person has died and six more have been injured in a shooting that occurred Friday night in Cancun. Theyre not telling us anything. "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. 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. Several cartels are fighting for the areas lucrative retail drug trade, including the Jalisco cartel and the a gang allied with the Gulf cartel. Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulums main strip. It went on for a little while and everyone dove for cover. In total, 214 hotels will move to a higher category, and 158 hotels will be moving to a lower category in the World of Hyatt program. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. I did not see any shots coming in toward the shoreline.. Cancuns seafront is much sought after by several cartels for its lucrative retail drug trade, and the shootings are just the latest display of gang violence that has disrupted the once tranquil reputation of Mexicos Caribbean coast. Two visitors from Canada died after being shot on Friday Jan. 21, 2022, at the five-star Hotel Xcaret in Playa del Carmen, which is about 45 miles south of Cancun. "About a half-hour ago, he called me and said that men had stormed the beach with machine guns and started firing. A US official briefed on the incident. There have been a worrying spate of attacks on foreign tourists in the Mayan Riviera region in recent months. Gov. The shooting occurred on a beach in Cancun's hotel zone. The suspects, both believed to be drug dealers, were killed. Prosecutors said crime had increased due to extortion [and] drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Holidaymakers at the five-star luxury beach resort in Cancun barricaded themselves in rooms when a party of 10-15 armed criminals arrived on the beach by boat and killed two rivals in what local police described as a targeted execution. The government is planning a luxury airport near Tulum and an intercity rail line that will loop around the whole Yucatn Peninsula, on whose tip Cancun sits. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He told the Metro Weekly: "We had literally just arrived and were walking to the beach when a rain of gunfire happened, and people all started running from the beach and pool area to take cover. According to local reporters, the Mexican army arrived at the resort moments after the shooting. The carnage sent tourists scrambling for cover after 15 drug gang gunmen rocked up in ski masks and opened fire on the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun. Travel warnings issued amid Cancun crime spree, Gunmen on jet skis fire shots on beach in Cancun. He said one of the men who was shot died on the beach, while another fled into one of the hotels before dying. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The shootings occurred on an avenue lined with restaurants and bars a bit farther inland. Also in March, authorities found four bodies dumped in undergrowth in Cancun, and said they were part of a total of 13 murders committed by the Jalisco cartel in the resort since September. Frightened tourists shared images and comments on social media about how they had to hide from the shootout. Another person was also injured in the gun rampage, although it's not clear whether they were a guest or a member of hotel staff, according to local media. Fortunately, no one was harmed or injured during the shooting. All rights reserved. There was a delayed reaction for about maybe five seconds, then everybody started scrambling and screaming and crying, and running, Arms recounted. Our top-rated resorts around Tempe: Marriott Phoenix Resort Tempe at The Buttes - Family-friendly property rated 4 stars. Tourists visiting Cancun were sent running for their lives after gunmen on jet skis opened fire on the beach, steps away from the Grand Ocean Palm resorts. Videos posted on social media showed travelers scrambling and rushing out of a terminal. 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. Gunfire erupted on Friday at the Hotel. ", "We understand the hotel team immediately engaged local authorities who are on the scene investigating the situation," the company said, adding that it is "taking steps in an effort to ensure the safety of guests and colleagues.". Legal Statement. "I did not see any shots coming in towards the shoreline," said the tourist. Andrew told the Independent his husband "just tried to stay as quiet as possible". Read about our approach to external linking. The resort said its staff "immediately engaged local authorities who are on the scene investigating the situation.". In one photo he is seen holding a gun. It was the latest instance of violence that has blotted Cancuns reputation as a laid back getaway. Mexican marines with bulletproof vests, helmets and assault rifles were seen patrolling Cancuns tourist-crowded beaches following the Tuesday shooting. Talking Stick Resort - Spa property rated 4 stars. CANCUN, Mexico Gunfire broke out on a beach in Mexicos Caribbean coast resort of Cancun on Tuesday, sending tourists scrambling for cover, but authorities said nobody appeared to be injured. Two people are dead after a shooting involving alleged drug gangs in a Mexico resort zone Thursday afternoon, authorities said. The U.S. embassy in Mexico said consulate officials were looking into social media reports of shots being fired at a resort in Cancun. Rival cartels in Mexico often kill another gangs street dealers to get rid of the competition and to ensure their drugs are sold first. Many people falling on the wet ground. Staff hustled us into hidden rooms behind the kitchens. The chief police of the coastal state. All guests confined to lobby now. Two men were killed and a third was injured Saturday night after members of suspected rival drug cartels opened fire at a popular Mexican beach resort, officials say. 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