Two foreign tourists in Mexico were killed and three others were wounded during a shootout outside a restaurant in the resort town of Tulum. Authorities said Thursday that one of the women that were killed was from Germany, while the other woman was from India. The three that were wounded included two German tourists and one from the Netherlands.
Mexican police said that a shooting broke out outside a street-side restaurant that had outdoor dining tables. The restaurant was located near the city's main strip that is a popular destination for tourists.
Quintana Roo state prosecutor's office said the shooting was likely between two local drug groups that were operating in the area. Investigators believe that the tourists were likely not targeted and were only caught in the crossfire.
Authorities said that one of the women had died on the spot, while the other woman had died after she was taken to the hospital. Police reportedly have one of the shooters who was wounded during the firefight in custody. Authorities have yet to report on the condition of the three wounded tourists.
Unlike other popular Mexican tourist towns such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen, Tulum has experienced relatively less violence. The last time a major shooting happened was in June, where two men were shot to death and one was seriously wounded.
Over the past few years, Tulum had been transformed from a lesser-known beach getaway to a major international destination in Mexico. The town, located on the Caribbean coastline of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, is known for its white-sand beaches and well-preserved Mayan ruins.
The Mexican government, under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, previously announced plans to further develop Tulum and its surrounding areas to increase tourism. Mexico plans to build an international airport near the town along with a train that will loop around the peninsula.
Like other parts of Mexico, the area still struggles with sporadic gang violence, mostly involving street-level drug groups. Major drug cartels also operate in the region, which is a known landing and departure stop for drug shipments. Apart from drug-related violence, corruption also plagues the region.
