A 12-year-old boy was killed when gunmen on jet skis opened fire at a beach in Cancun, Mexico, according to authorities. This shooting is part of a troubling trend of violence at Mexican resorts in recent years.
Prosecutors said the gunmen were aiming at a rival drug dealer on the beach and fled after shooting. They were reportedly arguing over drug sales.
The boy, who lived locally, was lying on a lounge chair with his family when he was hit by stray bullets. He was taken to the hospital but unfortunately died.
“It’s so sad that things like this happen,” a person close to the family told the newspaper El Universal.
The shooting occurred at Playa Caracol near the Riu Cancun hotel. The hotel spokesperson said the boy was not a guest there and that no hotel guests were hurt.
Drug-related violence has recently claimed the lives of tourists at resorts along Mexico’s Caribbean coast. In May, 10 bodies were found in Acapulco, a once-famous resort city now plagued by cartel violence. In February, three people were shot in Acapulco by gunmen who arrived and escaped by boat.
In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen due to drug and weapons trafficking disputes. In 2021, two tourists were killed in Tulum when they were caught in a gunfight between rival drug dealers.