2 Canadians dead in resort shooting

MEXICO CITY — Two Canadians were fatally shot and another was wounded at a hotel in Playa del Carmen on Friday afternoon, the latest attack at Mexican beach resorts that have been rattled by organized crime violence.

The secretary of security in Quintana Roo state, Lucio Hernandez Gutierrez, said in a tweet that the violence broke out after an “argument between hotel guests.” He said he had been informed by Canadian authorities that both victims had criminal records.

The shooting occurred at the Hotel Xcaret, an all-inclusive resort near an eco-park popular with tourists that features snorkeling, swimming with dolphins and nature activities.

Video apparently shot at the hotel and spread on social media showed bodies on the floor of an open-air restaurant.

“He’s still breathing!” some unidentified guests exclaim.

The three Canadians were wounded in the assault and rushed to a hospital, the official said. Two of them subsequently died, authorities said.

The state attorney general’s office said the first individual to die had previously faced criminal charges, including drug trafficking and use of a false ID. The second Canadian who was killed also had a criminal past, the office said in a tweet.

The victims were not identified.

Security forces descended on the area and began searching for the suspect, authorities said.

The shooting followed a flurry of other violent incidents in recent months in beach resorts in Cancun and along the coastal strip stretching south from that city.

In December, gunmen on water scooters charged a Cancun beach in an apparent murder attempt, firing their weapons and then taking off. No one was wounded.