- The Washington Times - Friday, March 15, 2013

Masked men open-fired at crowd gathered about a bar in the Mexican tourist hot-spot of Cancun on Thursday, killing six and wounding five.

Police are still trying to uncover the motive, and are seeking suspects, The New York Post reports.

Most of the victims were members of the tax drivers’ union, Public Safety Secretary Jesus Aiza said, in The Post.

The gunmen stormed “The Mermaid” bar and unloaded the crowd with automatic rifles, Mr. Aiza said. The killings come at a time when thousands of college-age students from the United States are pouring into Mexico for spring break.

Cancun officials estimate 43,000 will arrive in the coming weeks for tourist-related reasons.

It’s the second high-profile crime to hit Mexico’s top vacation spots in the past month. In February, The Post reports, six women in nearby Acapulco were captured and raped by hooded gunmen who forced their way into their rented beach home.

• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide