Global Affairs Canada confirmed Saturday it is aware of the deaths of two Canadian citizens in Mexico, a day after local officials in the country reported a shooting at a resort near Playa del Carmen that also injured a third individual.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Global Affairs said it is aware of a shooting incident in Mexico involving three Canadian citizens.
Local officials in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo reported on Friday that two Canadians were killed and another was injured in a shooting at Hotel Xcaret, south of Playa del Carmen.
Quintana Roo state security secretary Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez confirmed the triple shooting on Twitter.
All three of those injured were identified as Canadian and Gutiérrez said they were immediately transferred to hospital, where one died.
Gutiérrez also released images of a guest who allegedly shot the individuals, asking for any information that would lead to the person’s arrest. One image shows the individual holding a handgun.
Later, the Quintana Roo state prosecutor’s office confirmed on Twitter that another one of the individuals who was injured had also died.
The suspect in the shooting was apparently a guest, according to the state prosecutor’s office.
"Consular officials are contacting local authorities to gather more information and stand ready to provide consular assistance," a statement late Friday evening from Global Affairs Canada said.
"Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed."
Public safety analyst Chris Lewis told CTV News Channel on Friday that there is still lots to unfold, including when the individuals involved came to Mexico, where the gun that was used came from, and any business or criminal associations that may exist.
"I don’t see this going on for long before somebody’s behind bars," he said. "But much investigation obviously, forensically and otherwise, to do, so they’ll be all over this one."
The shooting follows another in November on the beach of Puerto Morelos that killed two people. Authorities said some 15 gunmen from a gang were involved in what appeared to be a dispute over drug sales there.
Further to the south in 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 back in October.
Mexican President Andrésxjmtzyw Manuel López Obrador sent nearly 1,500 members of the National Guard to reinforce security in the area following that shooting.
Sobre los deplorables acontecimientos del hotel Xcaret, los tres lesionados fueron traslados de inmediato al hospital, en donde lamentablemente uno fallece, los tres huéspedes son de origen Canadiense. pic.twitter.com/R9Ax57DCUu
— Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez (@Lucio_HG) January 21, 2022
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
La #FGEQuintanaRoo informa que inició carpeta de investigación relacionada a los hechos ocurridos en un centro de hospedaje en el municipio de Solidaridad en donde tres personas -de origen extranjero- resultaron lesionadas por arma de fuego por parte de otro sujeto (1/3) pic.twitter.com/2uBtkCUnWD
— Fiscalía General QR (@FGEQuintanaRoo) January 21, 2022
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
Authorities in Mexico are searching for a suspect who is believed to have shot three Canadians at a hotel near Playa del Carmen, two of whom have died, local officials confirmed, Jan. 21, 2022. (Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez via Twitter)
