2 Canadians killed, 1 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.

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.

In a statement to CityNews 680, Global Affairs says it is aware of an incident in Mexico involving three Canadian citizens but due to privacy considerations no further information will be diclosed.

“Consular officials are contacting local authorities to gather more information and stand ready to provide consular assistance,” read the brief statement.

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.