Terrified tourists were forced inside their luxury five-star resort in Cancun after killers stormed the nearby sun-kissed sands to execute a businessman.
The victim, identified only as a 30-year-old Mexican national, was shot by four gunmen who fired several shots before he was killed outside the Hotel Riu on Wednesday morning.
The group then fled the scene, two taking off waiting for jet skis and two running away on foot.
Guests took cover as the men carried out the targeted attack before attempting to evade police, Turquesa News reported.
Footage of the aftermath shows concerned guests wandering the $1,000-a-night lobby while waiting for instructions from officials.
A man was shot dead on a beach in front of the luxury resort Hotel Riu Caribe in Cancun
Two gunmen on foot and two on jet skis approached the man in front of the five-star resort and shot him multiple times in front of tourists who took cover Wednesday morning.
The Attorney General’s Office of Quintana Roo State confirmed that the victim is a Mexican national and approximately 30 years old, Turquesa News reported.
Others were seen on camera panicking at the resort, with some calling their loved ones, screaming and rushing inside with their beach gear.
Law enforcement officials are investigating the possibility that this murder is related to drug trafficking and cartel-related crimes.
The Riu Caribe hotel issued a statement saying the dead man was not a guest or employee at their hotel, Riviera Maya News reported.
Police have not yet identified the deceased man, but paramedics confirmed he was dead at the scene.
One of the four gunmen left after shots were fired and ran through the beach area of the hotel’s neighboring Dreams Hotel.
Witnesses said the suspect was wearing dark Bermuda shorts and a black shirt.
The U.S. Department of State places Mexico on a second tier status, meaning tourists should take extra caution when traveling.
“While Mexican authorities strive to protect the country’s major resorts and tourist destinations, those areas have not been immune to the forms of violence and crime experienced elsewhere in Mexico.
‘In some parts of Mexico, local police response times are often slow. Moreover, filing a police report can be time-consuming.
Law enforcement authorities are investigating the possibility that this murder is related to drug trafficking and cartel-related crimes. PHOTO: Hotel Riu Palace Las Americans in Cancun
The Riu Caribe Hotel released a statement saying the dead man was not a guest or employee of their hotel, Riviera Maya News reported.
One of the four gunmen left after shots were fired and ran through the beach area of the hotel’s neighboring Dreams Hotel. Witnesses said the suspect was wearing dark Bermuda shorts and a black shirt
“Increased levels of cartel-related violence have resulted in territorial disputes and targeted killings, injuring or killing innocent bystanders.”
This shooting occurred two months after a 12-year-old boy was shot and killed after gunmen on jet skis opened fire on rival drug dealers on a beach in Cancun, Mexico.
The child, identified as Santiago, was sitting with his family on a chair on Caracol Beach next to Riu Cancún when he was hit by several stray bullets on July 29.
Santiago was treated at the scene by paramedics and rushed to an area hospital, where he later died.