tourist killed in tulum

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Mexican tourist killed in Mexican resort of Tulum

• Copy Link copied

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican tourist has been shot to death in the Caribbean coast resort of Tulum in a dramatic robbery at a U.S. chain coffee shop, prosecutors and police said Tuesday.

The tourist apparently refused to hand over an expensive watch he was wearing, and was shot by the robbers.

Video of the killing posted on social media Tuesday showed men with motorcycle helmets burst into the coffee shop at gunpoint Monday.

Another man in the video, reportedly the victim’s bodyguard, then took out a pistol and opened fire on the robber, who fled.

The bodyguard chased the robber toward the street and kept firing at him through the store’s door.

Police in the coastal state of Quintana Roo said one of the thieves fled was wounded and later arrested at a local hospital.

State Prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca said the bodyguard had been released because he had a weapons permit, and may have been acting in self defense.

It was the latest chapter of continuing violence on Mexico’s resort-studded Caribbean coast , the crown jewel of the country’s tourism industry.

Last week, four men in Cancun, north of Tulum , were killed in a dispute related to drug gang rivalries.

Drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname “Pantera,” or the Panther, was being sought in connection with the killings.

The dead men were found in the city’s hotel zone near the beach. The killings came as Cancun kicked off the Easter Week vacations, one of its busiest times of the year.

A U.S. tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos in March. The motive in that remains under investigation.

The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert last month warning travelers to “exercise increased caution,” especially after dark, at Mexico’s Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, which have been plagued by drug gang violence in the past.

In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs.

In 2021, in Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were killed when they apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dealers.

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Tourist killed in drugs gang crossfire on Mexico resort beach

The us state department issued a travel alert warning for mexico’s caribbean beach resort, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the us, thanks for signing up to the evening headlines email.

An American woman, throught to be a tourist, and a man from Belize have been killed in an apparent dispute between drug dealers at a beach club in the Mexican resort city of Tulum .

Prosecutors in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo stressed the American woman had no connection to an alleged drug dealer also killed in the shooting Friday night.

Prosecutors didn’t provide the woman’s name or hometown, and the US Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

The woman may have simply been caught in the crossfire. Prosecutors denied reports in local media that the two may have been a couple, saying a photo of the Belizean man showed him with a completely different woman.

The Central American country of Belize shares a border with Mexico on the Caribbean coast. Tulum is located south of Cancun and Playa del Carmen, closer to Belize.

Prosecutors said the dead man had cocaine and pills in his possession when he was killed, and was believed to be a dealer. They said the suspects in the shootings had been identified and were being sought.

Foreign tourists have been killed in the past after getting caught in drug gang shootouts in the once-tranquil beach resort.

In 2021 in Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were killed while eating at a restaurant. They apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dealers.

Last year, the US State Department issued a travel alert warning travelers to “exercise increased situational awareness” especially after dark, at Mexico’s Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Want an ad-free experience?

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

Watch CBS News

California travel blogger among 2 women killed in shooting at Mexico resort

October 23, 2021 / 10:17 AM EDT / AP

A San Jose, California woman born in India was one of two foreign tourists killed in the apparent crossfire of a drug-gang shootout in Mexico's Caribbean coast resort of Tulum . Authorities in Quintana Roo, the state where Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun are located, said one of the dead women was Anjali Ryot.

An Instagram account under the same name showed a post of Ryot lounging and smiling on a seaside pier in Tulum two days ago. It listed her as a travel blogger from Himachal, India, living in California. A linked Facebook page said she lived in San Jose.

A German woman who was killed has been identified as Jennifer Henzold, though no hometown was immediately available for her.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting late Wednesday at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulum's main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens "if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities."

The gunfight apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors. The tourists were apparently dining at the restaurant and may have been caught in the crossfire.

The shooting occurred on Tulum's 'Mini-Quinta,' a reference to Playa del Carmen's larger, flashier bar and restaurant zone known as Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue.

On Friday, the civic group Citizens Observatorio of Tulum posted photos of hand-lettered signs that appeared at a local market in Tulum, signed by a drug gang known as Los Pelones, roughly "the Shaved Heads."

The sign said the shooting "was a warning, so you can see we mean business," adding "you either get in line or we are going to continue shutting places down like the Mini Quinta," an apparent warning to pay extortion demands for protection money.

"We are in control here," the sign added. The gang, part of the Gulf Cartel, has long extorted protection money from bars and night clubs in Cancun, but has now apparently extended operations further south to Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The gang is also fighting the Jalisco Cartel and other groups for the area's lucrative drug market.

The killings threatened Tulum's reputation as a low-key carefree beach town without the crowding and problems of Cancun.

After the shooting, U.S. tourist James Graham said he had come to Tulum with the idea of possibly buying a property there to rent out on AirBnB. "Right now, we are not so sure we're going to buy anything here," Graham said.

"I think that what was surprising, is we figured that this type of crime wouldn't necessarily be where the main tourist areas are, just because it's such a big part of the economy," Graham said. "You would think that you would be very careful to make sure that you know the tourists feel very safe coming here."

But there have been signs the situation was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid Thursday on the beach town's restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects - most apparently for drug sales - after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime "has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans," the prosecutor's office said in a statement about the raid.

The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has pinned its hopes on Tulum, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.

More from CBS News

Flooding in Tanzania and Kenya kills hundreds as heavy rains continue

Romania court rules Andrew Tate's rape, human trafficking trial can start

Mistrial declared in case of man accused of fatally shooting migrant

Ex-cop accused of murder, abduction dies of self-inflicted gunshot wound

California travel blogger among 2 killed in Mexico's Tulum

MEXICO CITY — A San Jose, California woman born in India was one of two foreign tourists killed in the apparent crossfire of a drug-gang shootout in Mexico’s Caribbean coast resort of Tulum.

Authorities in Quintana Roo, the state where Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun are located, said one of the dead women was Anjali Ryot.

An Instagram account under the same name showed a post of Ryot lounging and smiling on a seaside pier in Tulum two days ago. It listed her as a travel blogger from Himachal, India, living in California. A linked Facebook page said she lived in San Jose.

A German woman who was killed has been identified as Jennifer Henzold, though no hometown was immediately available for her.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting late Wednesday at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulum’s main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens “if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.”

The gunfight apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors. The tourists were apparently dining at the restaurant and may have been caught in the crossfire.

The shooting occurred on Tulum’s ‘Mini-Quinta,’ a reference to Playa del Carmen’s larger, flashier bar and restaurant zone known as Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue.

On Friday, the civic group Citizens Observatorio of Tulum posted photos of hand-lettered signs that appeared at a local market in Tulum, signed by a drug gang known as Los Pelones, roughly “the Shaved Heads.”

The sign said the shooting “was a warning, so you can see we mean business,” adding “you either get in line or we are going to continue shutting places down like the Mini Quinta,” an apparent warning to pay extortion demands for protection money.

“We are in control here,” the sign added. The gang, part of the Gulf Cartel, has long extorted protection money from bars and night clubs in Cancun, but has now apparently extended operations further south to Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The gang is also fighting the Jalisco Cartel and other groups for the area’s lucrative drug market.

The killings threatened Tulum’s reputation as a low-key carefree beach town without the crowding and problems of Cancun.

After the shooting, U.S. tourist James Graham said he had come to Tulum with the idea of possibly buying a property there to rent out on AirBnB. “Right now, we are not so sure we’re going to buy anything here,” Graham said.

“I think that what was surprising, is we figured that this type of crime wouldn’t necessarily be where the main tourist areas are, just because it’s such a big part of the economy,” Graham said. “You would think that you would be very careful to make sure that you know the tourists feel very safe coming here.”

But there have been signs the situation was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid Thursday on the beach town’s restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects — most apparently for drug sales — after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime “has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans,” the prosecutors office said in a statement about the raid.

The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has pinned its hopes on Tulum, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.

Mexican tourist killed in Mexican resort of Tulum

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

A Mexican tourist has been shot to death in the Caribbean coast resort of Tulum in a dramatic robbery at a U.S. chain coffee shop, prosecutors and police said Tuesday.

The tourist apparently refused to hand over an expensive watch he was wearing, and was shot by the robbers.

Video of the killing posted on social media Tuesday showed men with motorcycle helmets burst into the coffee shop at gunpoint Monday.

Another man in the video, reportedly the victim’s bodyguard, then took out a pistol and opened fire on the robber, who fled.

The bodyguard chased the robber toward the street and kept firing at him through the store’s door.

Police in the coastal state of Quintana Roo said one of the thieves fled was wounded and later arrested at a local hospital.

State Prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca said the bodyguard had been released because he had a weapons permit, and may have been acting in self defense.

It was the latest chapter of continuing violence on Mexico’s resort-studded Caribbean coast , the crown jewel of the country’s tourism industry.

Last week, four men in Cancun, north of Tulum , were killed in a dispute related to drug gang rivalries.

Drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname “Pantera,” or the Panther, was being sought in connection with the killings.

The dead men were found in the city’s hotel zone near the beach. The killings came as Cancun kicked off the Easter Week vacations, one of its busiest times of the year.

A U.S. tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos in March. The motive in that remains under investigation.

The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert last month warning travelers to “exercise increased caution,” especially after dark, at Mexico’s Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, which have been plagued by drug gang violence in the past.

In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs.

In 2021, in Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were killed when they apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dealers.

Top headlines by email, weekday mornings

Get top headlines from the Union-Tribune in your inbox weekday mornings, including top news, local, sports, business, entertainment and opinion.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

More in this section

Nation-World

Private security firm says missile fire seen off the Yemen coast in the Red Sea near crucial strait

A private security firm says missiles suspected to have been fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels landed a distance away from a ship traveling through the Red Sea

President Joe Biden says he’s ‘happy to debate’ Donald Trump during interview with Howard Stern

President Joe Biden says he is willing to debate Donald Trump later this fall

Minneapolis approves $150K settlement for witness to George Floyd’s murder

The Minneapolis City Council has agreed to pay a $150,000 settlement to an eyewitness who tried to intervene to prevent George Floyd’s murder and who says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result

Long flu season winds down in US

The U.S. flu season appears to be over

What to know about Bell’s palsy, the facial paralysis affecting Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy

US says it’s reviewing new information about Israeli unit accused of abuses before the war in Gaza

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. has determined that an Israeli military unit committed gross human-rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank before the war in Gaza began six months ago

Mexican tourist killed in Mexican resort of Tulum

Author of the article:

You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account.

Article content

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican tourist has been shot to death in the Caribbean coast resort of Tulum in a dramatic robbery at a U.S. chain coffee shop, prosecutors and police said Tuesday.

The tourist apparently refused to hand over an expensive watch he was wearing, and was shot by the robbers.

Video of the killing posted on social media Tuesday showed men with motorcycle helmets burst into the coffee shop at gunpoint Monday.

Another man in the video, reportedly the victim’s bodyguard, then took out a pistol and opened fire on the robber, who fled.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

• Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.
• Unlimited online access to National Post and 15 news sites with one account.
• National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
• Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
• Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

• Access articles from across Canada with one account.
• Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
• Enjoy additional articles per month.
• Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Don't have an account? Create Account

The bodyguard chased the robber toward the street and kept firing at him through the store’s door.

Police in the coastal state of Quintana Roo said one of the thieves fled was wounded and later arrested at a local hospital.

State Prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca said the bodyguard had been released because he had a weapons permit, and may have been acting in self defense.

It was the latest chapter of continuing violence on Mexico’s resort-studded Caribbean coast, the crown jewel of the country’s tourism industry.

Last week, four men in Cancun, north of Tulum , were killed in a dispute related to drug gang rivalries.

Drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname “Pantera,” or the Panther, was being sought in connection with the killings.

The dead men were found in the city’s hotel zone near the beach. The killings came as Cancun kicked off the Easter Week vacations, one of its busiest times of the year.

A U.S. tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos in March. The motive in that remains under investigation.

The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert last month warning travelers to “exercise increased caution,” especially after dark, at Mexico’s Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, which have been plagued by drug gang violence in the past.

In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs.

In 2021, in Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were killed when they apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dealers.

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

FIRST READING: Polls show youth now hate Trudeau more than ever

Four-litre jug of vodka not enough the 19-litre 'saskatchewan mickey' may be for you, 'will not be occupied': u.s. campuses deal with major anti-israel protests, opinion: taxpayers are the big loser in honda plant deal, randall denley: unions see to it that ontario students don't have enough teachers.

Walmart makes patio furniture from recycled materials

Stylish and affordable sets for your outdoor space

Breathe easy with our favourite air purifiers

A reliable air purifier can effectively remove airborne particles and improve air quality

Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The best online deals in the Canadian retail space right now

Good American, Brooklinen and Our Place, to name a few

Makeup tutorial: Blue and green are great eyeliner alternatives

Here’s a high-low comparison of luxury brand Make Up For Ever Aqua Resist Color Pencil Eyeliner versus drugstore brand Annabelle Smoothliner

Supermodel, L'Oréal ambassador Soo Joo Park shares her approach to beauty, aging

The longtime L'Oréal Paris ambassador admits her approach to skin care and makeup has shifted.

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here . By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy .

You've reached the 20 article limit.

You can manage saved articles in your account.

and save up to 100 articles!

Looks like you've reached your saved article limit!

You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.

California Travel Blogger Killed In Apparent Crossfire From Mexico Shootout

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A San Jose, California woman born in India was one of two foreign tourists killed in the apparent crossfire of a drug-gang shootout in Mexico’s Caribbean coast resort of Tulum.

Authorities in Quintana Roo, the state where Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun are located, said one of the dead women was Anjali Ryot.

An Instagram account under the same name showed a post of Ryot lounging and smiling on a seaside pier in Tulum two days ago. It listed her as a travel blogger from Himachal, India, living in California. A linked Facebook page said she lived in San Jose. A German woman who was killed has been identified as Jennifer Henzold, though no hometown was immediately available for her.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting late Wednesday at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulum’s main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens “if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.”

The gunfight apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors. The tourists were apparently dining at the restaurant and may have been caught in the crossfire.

The shooting occurred on Tulum’s ‘Mini-Quinta,’ a reference to Playa del Carmen’s larger, flashier bar and restaurant zone known as Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue.

On Friday, the civic group Citizens Observatorio of Tulum posted photos of hand-lettered signs that appeared at a local market in Tulum, signed by a drug gang known as Los Pelones, roughly “the Shaved Heads.”

The sign said the shooting “was a warning, so you can see we mean business,” adding “you either get in line or we are going to continue shutting places down like the Mini Quinta,” an apparent warning to pay extortion demands for protection money.

“We are in control here,” the sign added. The gang, part of the Gulf Cartel, has long extorted protection money from bars and night clubs in Cancun, but has now apparently extended operations further south to Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The gang is also fighting the Jalisco Cartel and other groups for the area’s lucrative drug market.

The killings threatened Tulum’s reputation as a low-key carefree beach town without the crowding and problems of Cancun.

After the shooting, U.S. tourist James Graham said he had come to Tulum with the idea of possibly buying a property there to rent out on AirBnB. “Right now, we are not so sure we’re going to buy anything here,” Graham said.

“I think that what was surprising, is we figured that this type of crime wouldn’t necessarily be where the main tourist areas are, just because it’s such a big part of the economy,” Graham said. “You would think that you would be very careful to make sure that you know the tourists feel very safe coming here.”

But there have been signs the situation was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid Thursday on the beach town’s restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects — most apparently for drug sales — after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime “has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans,” the prosecutors office said in a statement about the raid.

The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has pinned its hopes on Tulum, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.

Support HuffPost

Our 2024 coverage needs you, your loyalty means the world to us.

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.

Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Dear HuffPost Reader

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.

Popular in the Community

From our partner, more in u.s. news.

Crime and Public Safety | Tourist killed in Mexican resort of Tulum

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Today's e-Edition

• Latest News
• Environment
• Transportation

Breaking News

Crime and public safety | sunpower details bay area job cuts, will slash more than 100 jobs in region, crime and public safety.

MEXICO CITY — A Mexican tourist has been shot to death in the Caribbean coast resort of Tulum in a dramatic robbery at a U.S. chain coffee shop, prosecutors and police said Tuesday.

The tourist apparently refused to hand over an expensive watch he was wearing, and was shot by the robbers.

Video of the killing posted on social media Tuesday showed men with motorcycle helmets burst into the coffee shop at gunpoint Monday.

RELATED: Is Mexico safe for U.S. travelers?

Another man in the video, reportedly the victim’s bodyguard, then took out a pistol and opened fire on the robber, who fled.

The bodyguard chased the robber toward the street and kept firing at him through the store’s door.

Police in the coastal state of Quintana Roo said one of the thieves fled was wounded and later arrested at a local hospital.

State Prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca said the bodyguard had been released because he had a weapons permit, and may have been acting in self defense.

It was the latest chapter of continuing violence on Mexico’s resort-studded Caribbean coast, the crown jewel of the country’s tourism industry.

Last week, four men in Cancun , north of Tulum , were killed in a dispute related to drug gang rivalries.

Drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname “Pantera,” or the Panther, was being sought in connection with the killings.

The dead men were found in the city’s hotel zone near the beach. The killings came as Cancun kicked off the Easter Week vacations, one of its busiest times of the year.

A U.S. tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos in March. The motive in that remains under investigation.

In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen , apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs.

In 2021, in Tulum, two tourists — one a Bay Area travel blogger born in India and the other German — were killed when they apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dealers.

• Report an error
• Policies and Standards

More in Crime and Public Safety

Crime and Public Safety | Dozens of deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police

Crashes and Disasters | California driver fatally run over as he leans out to shut truck’s charging port

Crime and Public Safety | East Bay girl fends off man who grabbed her wrist while also trying to unlock a car

World News | Prince Andrew and Fergie’s curious parenting: OK when Beatrice, 17, dated older ‘playboy’ accused of manslaughter

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Along Mexico’s Riviera Maya, Tourists, Drugs and Violence

On the stretch of beaches from Cancún to Tulum, there have been a number of gang-related incidents in which international visitors have been killed or injured. But that hasn’t stopped the vacationers from coming.

By Elisabeth Malkin

The headlines out of Mexico have been jarring. Two women were killed in the crossfire when rival gangs started shooting at a popular sidewalk restaurant in Tulum. Gunmen battled on a beach near Puerto Morelos as tourists scrambled into a Hyatt hotel for cover. A killer-for-hire bought a day pass to an all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen to carry out a hit in a poolside snack bar.

But the spate of violent incidents along the country’s Riviera Maya, the strand of Caribbean beaches stretching 80 miles south of Cancún to the Mayan ruins of Tulum , over the past few months hasn’t seemed to scare off the vacationers who arrived by the millions last year to spend a pandemic holiday on the beach, dive the coral reefs or dance in boho bars.

“It’s all like drug-related violence so it doesn’t affect us,” said Elizabeth Sedgemore, 50, of Seattle, who was walking in Puerto Morelos one recent noon looking for a restaurant with her husband, Gregory, 59. He added: “We just don’t put ourselves in situations where we’re going to be in trouble. We don’t do drugs, we don’t deal drugs, we don’t stay out late — so we feel very safe.”

The region, part of the state of Quintana Roo, quickly reopened after the first few months of the pandemic, as Mexico welcomed foreign tourists while much of the world stayed closed. The country imposed not a single restriction on entry by air — travelers, vaccinated or unvaccinated, could come in without testing for the coronavirus and faced no quarantines. Within Mexico, shutdowns varied according to state and even within Quintana Roo as the pandemic progressed, with limits on occupancy in hotels and restaurants and widespread use of masks indoors.

Tourists often seemed to take the rules more lightly than most Mexicans, who were hit hard by the pandemic. Mexico has confirmed more than 315,000 deaths from Covid-19 but experts believe the toll is much higher. Government figures show that during the pandemic, excess mortality, or the number of deaths above what would have expected under “normal” conditions, has climbed above 667,000.

But as other resort areas enforced restrictions, Tulum, which markets its hippy chic spirituality , continued to party , and in November 2020, it hosted a five-day festival that became a coronavirus superspreader event.

Now that tourists have returned in full force to all of the Riviera Maya, its long-festering problems are coming into focus. Alongside the glitz of the region’s all-inclusive resorts, authorities and business groups say, are boomtowns where entrenched criminal gangs operate openly to sell drugs and extort local businesses.

“Unfortunately people come to consume drugs and alcohol,” said Óscar Montes de Oca, the prosecutor for the state of Quintana Roo. “They come to do things they wouldn’t do at home. This demand creates a supply and that generates all the conflict.”

The warning signs have been flashing for several years, particularly in the region’s largest town, Playa del Carmen, where an attack on an international music festival in 2017 killed five people. In 2019, gunmen opened fire in a local working-class bar , killing seven men.

What is new is how openly the gangs have taken their battles to the heart of tourist zones.

The recent spate began in Tulum on Oct. 20, when the leader of a gang darted into La Malquerida restaurant to escape an attack from rivals, who instead accidentally killed a woman from Germany and an Indian-born woman who lived in California. Three other European tourists were injured.

Some two weeks later, on Nov. 4, two gangs engaged in a shootout on a beach near Puerto Morelos called Bahía Petempich, as tourists at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancún hotel fled into the lobby, where crouching staff ushered them up the stairs into safe rooms. Two of the gunmen were killed and a tourist from Utah was injured.

“What makes it shocking is that you feel safe at these all-inclusive resorts,” said Mike Sington, a retired entertainment executive from Los Angeles who was staying at the Hyatt and posted video of the hotel guests in hiding. “They’re all walled off and secured off,” he said.

At the Hotel Xcaret in Playa del Carmen on Jan. 21, a gunman managed to gain entry to the hotel grounds where, authorities say, he shot and killed two Canadian men and injured the wife of one of them. The murder victims had ties to organized crime in Canada , Mr. Montes de Oca said, adding that they were killed over a debt related to arms and drug trafficking. A man accused of scouting the complex for several days before the hit and driving the getaway car, as well as a Canadian woman who was seen speaking to the hit man before the shooting, are both under arrest.

Those killings were followed by the murder of the Argentine manager of a beach club in Playa del Carmen on Jan. 25. Authorities say that he was killed by members of a gang that had planned a giant party at the club. When municipal authorities blocked the event, the gang took revenge on the club.

And the violence has continued. On Feb. 19, rival drug dealers opened fire at Art Beach Tulum , a restaurant on the outskirts of Tulum where an order of sea bass with asparagus risotto and seaweed cream goes for $35. Two of the dealers were killed.

That event highlighted how Tulum in particular has become a center for drug consumption in the Riviera Maya. Ten gangs have carved up sales in the area, Mr. Montes de Oca said, and when they encroach on each other’s territory, what “begins as a minor crime, selling drugs, ends in tragedy.”

52 Places for a Changed World

The 2022 list highlights places around the globe where travelers can be part of the solution.

Reaction to a clampdown

Local authorities say that the latest round of violence is a reaction to the state’s efforts to clamp down on crime, after law enforcement was ignored under previous state governments. Police have moved cartels off the beaches and main streets where dealers sell souvenirs or offer massages as cover. Investigations of gangs that sell drugs in restaurants and bars have led to the arrest of hundreds of gang leaders, said Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez, the secretary of public security for Quintana Roo.

The groups “want to continue their hold on these spaces that give them exorbitant profits,” he said.

With investment in police training and technology, statewide rates for homicide and most violent crimes have fallen over the past three years, Mr. Montes de Oca said, but he acknowledged that the recent violence had created a problem for the state. “These events occur in iconic places that are very vulnerable in terms of media and this affects the perception of safety in the state a lot,” he said.

More than 6.6 million foreign tourists flew to Cancún and the Riviera Maya last year, according to the Mexican tourism ministry, with more arriving on cruise ships or domestic Mexican flights, and all of them except a handful enjoyed a peaceful holiday. It is Mexicans who overwhelmingly suffer the weight of the violence and it crosses all classes, as it has across much of the country. Construction workers on a luxury hotel site were extorted and co-opted by drug cartels. A candidate for mayor of Puerto Morelos was shot and killed in a restaurant. Taxi drivers in Tulum are killed in their cars and restaurant owners say that extortionists leave them handwritten messages accompanied by a warning bullet.

Since the outbreak of violence in tourist areas, Quintana Roo law enforcement officials have moved quickly to announce arrests in each case. In December, an additional contingent of about 1,500 members of Mexico’s National Guard began patrolling the beaches in a sign of how seriously the federal government has taken the threat to Mexico’s tourist industry.

But many question how sustainable that approach is. “For me, it’s just a facade,” said Fabiola Cortés, a lawyer and journalist who helped expose the dealings of Quintana Roo’s previous governor . He is now in jail, facing trial on corruption charges. “When high-impact events take place, they just detain anybody.”

David Ortiz Mena, the president of Tulum’s hotel association, said that Tulum’s rapid growth over the past few years had been uncontrolled, with no thought given to the effect of throwing jungle parties for 5,000 people. He acknowledged that the authorities had begun to make some progress, but added, “The fact that the police can’t grow along with the population is also a problem of sustainability.”

Growing tourist numbers

For now, it seems that most tourists who have heard of the killings seem willing to weigh the risks and make the trip to the Riviera Maya.

In December, when four out of five members of Pam Singh’s family had Covid-19, she decided that “we have to get something great out of this” and booked a holiday to take advantage of the family’s post-illness immunity.

Ms. Singh, 47, who lives in Brooklyn, had already traveled to Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, and was looking for a destination that was easy to reach. “The scenery is beautiful, the hospitality is warm and the food is delicious,” she said. “It’s hard to argue with everything that Mexico has to offer.”

Researching reviews online, she settled on a week at an all-inclusive resort in Puerto Morelos, which promised activities for her three children, age 8 to 15, and good food.

She also saw the news of violence. “I didn’t find it especially alarming,” she said by phone from her hotel, noting that the resort was in a self-contained area. “I understand that it was out of ordinary for the region.”

But Ms. Singh, an international human rights lawyer, and her husband, Jeff Locke, 49, a teacher, may have a higher risk threshold than tourists coming from a placid rural area, she said. “We live in New York City and it’s not that crime isn’t increasing. You learn to live with it and take precautions. A vacation isn’t different.”

That seems to be the attitude many tourists are taking. Almost none of the recent inquiries to Del Sol Travels , which plans destination weddings in the Riviera Maya, have dealt with security, said Matt Adcock, the company’s owner.

“Do these people have concerns? I think they do,” said Mr. Adcock, an Atlanta native who has lived in Playa del Carmen since 2007. He thinks people have gotten numb during the pandemic. “I believe that they are weighing the risk to the reward and making the decision.”

The company has booked six weddings this year through April and is handling inquiries for 2023.

Missy Skoog, a travel adviser for Travel Leaders in Minneapolis said the overwhelming concern she hears from vacationers thinking of going to the Riviera Maya is the risk of getting stuck in Mexico because they test positive for the coronavirus before their flight back to the United States.

Ms. Skoog said the recent events are isolated incidents. If she felt the region, which she visits three or four times a year, weren’t safe, she wouldn’t send people to the Riviera Maya, which is one of her top-selling regions this year. “We have gained violence here,” Ms. Skoog said, referring to Minneapolis. “They have gained violence there.”

Not all tourists are convinced. Atul Tiwary, 27, a trader in the financial services industry in New York who has traveled several times to the Riviera Maya in the past, was planning to return in March with three friends. “One person proposed the idea of reconsidering because of this thing popping up and everyone agreed.” The group switched its destination to Cabo San Lucas.

“I’d say I’m a pretty adventurous traveler in terms of far-flung cultures,” he said. “What concerns me is violent crime that is pretty visible as a tourist.”

At the time of the shooting at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancún, Vacaya , an L.G.B.T.Q. travel agency, had a group of about 700 guests at the hotel, including Mr. Sington. It was the third annual trip that Vacaya had booked to the Riviera Maya. This coming year in November, it will go to Puerto Vallarta instead, but the company had decided to change before the shooting incident, for variety. “We have not abandoned Riviera Maya,” wrote Vacaya’s co-founder Patrick Gunn in an email. “But we’ll consider the overall climate and improvements made by local authorities before heading back.”

Fear of gangs

Some local restaurants see drug sales as “a necessary evil,” said a restaurant owner with knowledge of the problem, who asked not to be identified by name because of fear of violent reprisal. Cartels arrive and force the restaurant to place a dealer inside the restaurant or at the entrance, he said. Owners don’t go to the authorities because they fear that corruption in the police means their complaint will get back to the gangs.

“There is always an option,” said James Tobin, a Cancún real estate agent and anti-crime activist who now serves on the federal government’s National Public Safety Council. “The option is to report or close down.”

“If all citizens believe that the police are corrupt, then the only ones who gain are organized crime,” he added.

Other business leaders agree that the government has shown willingness to attack crime and point to the arrests made after each incident, as well as broader investigations to determine the leaders of the gangs who carried out the shootings. “It’s not an overnight job,” said Iván Ferrat Mancera, the president of the Business Coordinating Council of the Caribbean, the region’s main alliance of business groups and nonprofit organizations. “If you confront them, there will be deaths.”

None of that seemed to be a worry for Angelica and Vincent Shields of New York, who are in their 70s and have been coming to Puerto Morelos for 20 years. “We got our vaccine and we got on the plane,” Mr. Shields said.

“We come here for a month and we feel safe,” said Ms. Shields, who said she was reassured by the presence of the National Guard. “Back home in New York, I see them as well.”

“I would just like to say, Viva Mexico, the people are great and the food is fantastic.” Not to mention, she added, the margaritas.

Alejandro Castro contributed reporting from the Riviera Maya.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places for a Changed World for 2022.

2 Tourists Killed as Cartels Creep Into Mexico’s Tulum Resort Area

Tourists are now smoking toad venom in mexico’s hipster town tulum, narco hitmen on jet skis sprayed a cancun beach with bullets, killing two people, police killed a refugee in mexico by kneeling on her neck, get the latest from vice news in your inbox. sign up right here..

By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content.

Travel blogger one of two killed in drug-gang shootout in Mexican Caribbean resort town Tulum

MEXICO CITY — A San Jose, California woman born in India was one of two foreign tourists killed in the apparent crossfire of a drug-gang shootout in Mexico’s Caribbean coast resort of Tulum.

Authorities in Quintana Roo, the state where Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun are located, said one of the dead women was Anjali Ryot.

An Instagram account under the same name showed a post of Ryot lounging and smiling on a seaside pier in Tulum two days ago. It listed her as a travel blogger from Himachal, India, living in California. A linked Facebook page said she lived in San Jose.

A German woman who was killed has been identified as Jennifer Henzold, though no hometown was immediately available for her.

► 'Beyond what I was dreaming': How travel bloggers turn wanderlust into a way of life

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting late Wednesday at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulum’s main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens “if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.”

The gunfight apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors. The tourists were apparently dining at the restaurant and may have been caught in the crossfire.

The shooting occurred on Tulum's ‘Mini-Quinta,’ a reference to Playa del Carmen's larger, flashier bar and restaurant zone known as Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue.

On Friday, the civic group Citizens Observatorio of Tulum posted photos of hand-lettered signs that appeared at a local market in Tulum, signed by a drug gang known as Los Pelones, roughly “the Shaved Heads.”

The sign said the shooting “was a warning, so you can see we mean business," adding “you either get in line or we are going to continue shutting places down like the Mini Quinta,” an apparent warning to pay extortion demands for protection money.

“We are in control here,” the sign added.

The gang, part of the Gulf Cartel, has long extorted protection money from bars and night clubs in Cancun, but has now apparently extended operations further south to Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The gang is also fighting the Jalisco Cartel and other groups for the area's lucrative drug market.

► Gabby Petito case: Brian Laundrie's remains confirmed

The killings threatened Tulum's reputation as a low-key carefree beach town without the crowding and problems of Cancun.

After the shooting, U.S. tourist James Graham said he had come to Tulum with the idea of possibly buying a property there to rent out on AirBnB. “Right now, we are not so sure we're going to buy anything here,” Graham said.

“I think that what was surprising, is we figured that this type of crime wouldn't necessarily be where the main tourist areas are, just because it's such a big part of the economy,” Graham said. “You would think that you would be very careful to make sure that you know the tourists feel very safe coming here.”

But there have been signs the situation was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid Thursday on the beach town's restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects – most apparently for drug sales – after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime “has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans,” the prosecutors office said in a statement about the raid.

The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has pinned its hopes on Tulum, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.

California travel blogger among 2 killed in Mexico’s Tulum

MEXICO CITY - A San Jose woman was one of two foreign tourists killed in the apparent crossfire of a drug-gang shootout in Mexico’s Caribbean coast resort of Tulum.

Authorities in Quintana Roo, the state where Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun are located, said one of the dead women was Anjali Ryot.

An Instagram account under the same name showed a post of Ryot lounging and smiling on a seaside pier in Tulum two days ago. It listed her as a travel blogger from Himachal, India, living in California. A linked Facebook page said she lived in San Jose.

A German woman who was killed has been identified as Jennifer Henzold, though no hometown was immediately available for her.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting late Wednesday at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulum’s main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

(Photo credit Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens "if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities."

The gunfight apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors. The tourists were apparently dining at the restaurant and may have been caught in the crossfire.

The shooting occurred on Tulum’s ‘Mini-Quinta,’ a reference to Playa del Carmen’s larger, flashier bar and restaurant zone known as Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue.

On Friday, the civic group Citizens Observatorio of Tulum posted photos of hand-lettered signs that appeared at a local market in Tulum, signed by a drug gang known as Los Pelones, roughly "the Shaved Heads."

Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter . And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android .

The sign said the shooting "was a warning, so you can see we mean business," adding "you either get in line or we are going to continue shutting places down like the Mini Quinta," an apparent warning to pay extortion demands for protection money.

"We are in control here," the sign added. The gang, part of the Gulf Cartel, has long extorted protection money from bars and night clubs in Cancun, but has now apparently extended operations further south to Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The gang is also fighting the Jalisco Cartel and other groups for the area’s lucrative drug market.

The killings threatened Tulum’s reputation as a low-key carefree beach town without the crowding and problems of Cancun.

After the shooting, U.S. tourist James Graham said he had come to Tulum with the idea of possibly buying a property there to rent out on AirBnB. "Right now, we are not so sure we’re going to buy anything here," Graham said.

"I think that what was surprising, is we figured that this type of crime wouldn’t necessarily be where the main tourist areas are, just because it’s such a big part of the economy," Graham said. "You would think that you would be very careful to make sure that you know the tourists feel very safe coming here."

But there have been signs the situation was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid Thursday on the beach town’s restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects — most apparently for drug sales — after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime "has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans," the prosecutors office said in a statement about the raid.

The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has pinned its hopes on Tulum, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.

Tune in to FOX 11 Los Angeles for the latest Southern California news.

• Updated Terms of Use
• New Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Closed Caption Policy
• Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .

California woman shot dead in Mexican resort town popular with Americans

Local reports attempted to connect the alleged dealer and the victim as a couple.

US must ‘bring our national security back home’ instead of outsourcing to Mexico: Rodney Scott

Former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott joins ‘Fox News Live’ to discuss Mexico agreeing to enforce U.S. immigration laws and what it means for the migrant crisis.

An American woman died in the crossfire of an apparent drug deal gone bad at a popular Mexican beach resort in the municipality of Tulum. 

The Quintana Roo State Attorney General’s Office opened an investigation into the Feb. 9 incident which saw the death of an alleged drug dealer from Belize and an American woman, later identified as 44-year-old Los Angeles native Niko Honarbakhsh, according to ABC News. 

The dead man had cocaine and "transparent bags with red and orange pills" as well as bags with "brown granulated powder" in his possession when he was killed, leading the prosecutor’s office to determine that he was likely a drug dealer and part of a gang. 

Local reports tried to connect the pair and indicated they were involved in a relationship, but the prosecutor’s office dismissed these reports as inaccurate, according to a statement. 

4 BUS AND TAXI DRIVERS SHOT TO DEATH IN VIOLENT SOUTHERN MEXICO CITY

An American woman was killed in a shootout in the Mexican resort area of Tulum on Feb. 9, 2024. (Daniel Gastaldi/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The U.S. State Department told Fox News Digital that it could confirm the death of a U.S. citizen in Tulum, and offered "sincerest condolences to the family." 

"We are closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the cause of death," a department spokesperson said. We are providing all appropriate assistance to the family. Out of respect to the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment." 

MEXICO'S PRESIDENT CONDEMNS REPORTS OF OLD US INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED DRUG CAMPAIGN DONATIONS

A unit of the Mexican Army patrols the streets of Tulum, Quintana Roo state, Mexico on Jan. 31, 2023. Los Angeles native Niko Honarbakhsh, 44, was shot dead in Tulum on Feb. 9, 2024, according to ABC News.  (David Gannon/AFP via Getty Images)

Prosecutors maintain that Honarbakhsh died as a result of a stray bullet. Both bodies will undergo autopsies as part of the investigation. Prosecutors have identified suspects and have started pursuing leads to apprehend them. None of the suspects have been named.

Other tourists in recent years have died in gang-related crossfire in Tulum. Two such tourists, which included a California travel blogger and a German, were killed in 2021 while eating in a restaurant after rival drug dealers started shooting each other. 

MEXICO DEMANDS ANSWERS AMID FLOOD OF US MILITARY-GRADE WEAPONS TO DRUG CARTELS

A front view during the inauguration of the Tulum International Airport on Dec. 1, 2023 in Tulum, Mexico, which is a popular resort area for Americans. (Medios y Media/Getty Images)

The U.S. last year issued "Do Not Travel" warnings for parts of Mexico ahead of the popular March spring break travel period, citing gang violence and noting that U.S. citizens have "become seriously ill or died in Mexico after using synthetic drugs or adulterated prescription pills." 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP  

Cartel members kidnapped four Americans who traveled across the border seeking cosmetic surgery, but two of the Americans and an innocent Mexican bystander died during a shootout. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Peter Aitken is a Fox News Digital reporter with a focus on national and global news. 

The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.

You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!

latest in US News

Brooklyn educator who called Zionists 'pigs' is cuffed at...

Pro-Israel protesters swarm Columbia as admin waffles of tent...

Biden says he will debate Trump before election after earlier...

Dancing thug 'The Donkey' wanted for shooting woman who rejected...

Man punched in the face, robbed at gunpoint by callous trio at...

Family outraged after passersby ignore teen girl's body in...

Biden changes walking routine to Marine One to allegedly shift...

Slack co-founder's missing teen Mint Butterfield feared 'at risk'...

Live updates, american woman killed by stray bullet during shootout between drug dealers in tulum beach club.

• View Author Archive
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

An American woman has been killed by a stray bullet after getting caught in a shootout between rival drug dealers at a beach club in the Mexican resort city of Tulum, officials said.

The US citizen had no connection to a suspected drug dealer from Belize also killed in the violence Friday night, prosecutors in the state of Quintana Roo stressed.

She was not formally identified by officials, but sources told ABC News the dead woman was Niko Honarbakhsh, a 44-year-old originally from Los Angeles who was living in Cancun, Mexico.

Prosecutors believe she was caught in the crossfire and struck by a stray bullet.

They denied a local report that she was romantically linked to the slain suspected drug dealer, stressing that a photo from the scene showed a different woman with him.

The suspected dealer — who was nicknamed “Belize” — had cocaine and pills when he was gunned down, officials said.

He is “identified for his probable participation” in “drug-related crimes” and “was part of a criminal group that generated violence in the state,”   the state attorney general said .

Suspects in the beach club shooting had been identified and police were on the hunt for them. They have not been publicly named as of Monday.

Foreign tourists have been killed in the past after getting caught in drug-related shootouts in Tulum, located south of Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

In 2021, California travel blogger Anjali Ryot and German citizen Jennifer Henzold were killed while eating at a restaurant after being caught in the middle of a gunfight between rival drug dealers.

Last year, the US State Department issued a travel alert warning Americans to “exercise increased situational awareness,” especially after dark, at Mexico’s Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.

With Post wires

Share this article:

• Nation & World

California travel blogger among 2 killed in Mexico’s Tulum

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A San Jose, California woman born in India was one of two foreign tourists killed in the apparent crossfire of a drug-gang shootout in Mexico’s Caribbean coast resort of Tulum.

Authorities in Quintana Roo, the state where Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun are located, said one of the dead women was Anjali Ryot.

An Instagram account under the same name showed a post of Ryot lounging and smiling on a seaside pier in Tulum two days ago. It listed her as a travel blogger from Himachal, India, living in California. A linked Facebook page said she lived in San Jose.

A German woman who was killed has been identified as Jennifer Henzold, though no hometown was immediately available for her.

Three other foreign tourists were wounded in the shooting late Wednesday at a street-side eatery that has some outdoor tables, right off Tulum’s main strip. They included two German men and a Dutch woman.

The German Foreign Office issued a travel advisory about the violence, advising its citizens “if you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.”

The gunfight apparently broke out between two groups that operate street-level drug sales in the area, according to prosecutors. The tourists were apparently dining at the restaurant and may have been caught in the crossfire.

The shooting occurred on Tulum’s ‘Mini-Quinta,’ a reference to Playa del Carmen’s larger, flashier bar and restaurant zone known as Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue.

On Friday, the civic group Citizens Observatorio of Tulum posted photos of hand-lettered signs that appeared at a local market in Tulum, signed by a drug gang known as Los Pelones, roughly “the Shaved Heads.”

The sign said the shooting “was a warning, so you can see we mean business,” adding “you either get in line or we are going to continue shutting places down like the Mini Quinta,” an apparent warning to pay extortion demands for protection money.

“We are in control here,” the sign added. The gang, part of the Gulf Cartel, has long extorted protection money from bars and night clubs in Cancun, but has now apparently extended operations further south to Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The gang is also fighting the Jalisco Cartel and other groups for the area’s lucrative drug market.

The killings threatened Tulum’s reputation as a low-key carefree beach town without the crowding and problems of Cancun.

After the shooting, U.S. tourist James Graham said he had come to Tulum with the idea of possibly buying a property there to rent out on AirBnB. “Right now, we are not so sure we’re going to buy anything here,” Graham said.

“I think that what was surprising, is we figured that this type of crime wouldn’t necessarily be where the main tourist areas are, just because it’s such a big part of the economy,” Graham said. “You would think that you would be very careful to make sure that you know the tourists feel very safe coming here.”

But there have been signs the situation was out of control months ago. In June, two men were shot to death on the beach in Tulum and a third was wounded.

And in nearby Playa del Carmen, police stage a massive raid Thursday on the beach town’s restaurant-lined Quinta Avenida, detaining 26 suspects — most apparently for drug sales — after a city policewoman was shot to death and locked in the trunk of a car last week. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing.

Crime “has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans,” the prosecutors office said in a statement about the raid.

The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has pinned its hopes on Tulum, where it has announced plans to build an international airport and a stop for the Maya train, which will run in a loop around the Yucatan peninsula.

Most Read Nation & World Stories

• Want to lower your dementia risk? Becoming a teacher is a good start
• Secret Service agent on Harris detail involved in altercation before flight
• Sports on TV & radio: Local listings for Seattle games and events
• Why are younger adults developing this common heart condition?
• Four takeaways from Supreme Court hearing on Trump’s claim to immunity VIEW

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Four found dead in Mexico’s Cancún beach resort

No immediate information on nationalities or identities in latest violence to hit popular holiday destination

Four dead bodies have been found near a beach in the Mexican resort city of Cancún, in the latest incident of violence to hit the popular holiday destination.

There was no immediate information on the nationalities or identities of the victims. The announcement of the deaths came less that a week after a US tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos.

Prosecutors originally said three bodies were found on Monday in a lot near one of Cancún’s beachside hotels along the Kukulkan Boulevard. They then added that a fourth body was found in the undergrowth on the same lot, bringing to four the number of victims.

Prosecutors in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo said two suspects had been detained in the killings. They said the deaths were under investigation, but did not give a cause of death.

Last week in Puerto Morelos, a US tourist was approached by several suspects, and they shot him in the leg. The motive remains under investigation. The wounded man was taken to a hospital in Cancún for treatment, and his injury was judged to be not life-threatening.

The US state department issued a travel alert earlier this month warning travelers to “exercise increased caution”, especially after dark, at Mexico’s Caribbean beach resorts like Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, which have been plagued by drug gang violence in the past.

Cancún and the Mayan Riviera to its south, are the crown jewels of Mexico’s tourism industry, attracting millions of tourists each year.

But the region has been plagued by violence as drug cartels dispute extortion rackets and local drug markets.

In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs .

In 2021, farther south in the laid-back destination of Tulum, two tourists – one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German – were killed when they apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dealers.

Most viewed