At least five people have died following a shooting during the BPM Music Festival in Playa del Carmen in Mexico.
According to multiple news sources, a gunman opened fire, shooting and killing at least five people and wounding at least fifteen people outside the Blue Parrot nightclub at the Playa del Carmen resort. The gunman killed four men. The fifth victim, a woman, died from injuries sustained after a fall.
Scottish DJ Jackmaster first posted the news on his Twitter account.
Someone has come into the club in Playa Del Carmen and opened fire. 4-5 dead and many wounded. Stay in ur fuckin hotel if you’re here at BPM
— JACKMASTER (@jackmaster) 16 de enero de 2017
This is a very very sad situation. Tryna get my head around it still. Thoughts and condolences to all affected ♥
— JACKMASTER (@jackmaster) 16 de enero de 2017
BPM said that the gunman also killed three members of its security team. The BPM Music Festival takes place annually across different venues in Playa del Carmen in Mexico.
Jackmaster headlined the final night of the BPM electronic music festival at the Blue Parrot club. The shooting occured at around 3am, or 12am Pacific Standard Time.
MixMag magazine reporters also tweeted from the festival. According to them, a second shooting took place at another club called The Jungle. Media outlets have yet to confirm the news, however.
MixMag reporters tweeted that the gunman shot civilians and tourists outside the Blue Parrot.
100% civilians / tourists were shot in front of Blue Parrot. Waiting to hear about The Jungle.
— ✌alerie (@valerie___lee) 16 de enero de 2017
Valerie Lee, the magazine’s US editor, said,
“People started running because there’s an exit in the back. We stopped and hid behind a cement wall, then crawled under a metal table.
“Security guards at first didn’t think it was shots and kept claiming it was fireworks, saying everything was okay.
“Then people kept running and said they saw a gun. We kept hiding until they opened the back gate and we ran outside.”
Another witness said,
“People started getting up and again the shots started. My friends saw the shooter running across the back of the club, shooting into it through a metal rail. One of my friends saw a person shot and bleeding.
“Once the shooting stopped, we jumped over that same fence and ran on the beach about 10 blocks. We were helped by some other partygoers by letting us hang out in their hotel for a few minutes. They saw a guy shot in the head.”
On social media, users shared photos and videos following the shooting.
A video obtained by The Guardian shows people fleeing from the Blue Parrot in Playa del Carmen. People screamed, “he’s got a gun, run!”
Right after the shooting BPM published a (now deleted) tweet saying,
“All parties are shut down.”
In a bilingual statement on its Facebook page, festival organizers lamented the shooting.
Authorities have yet to officially confirm the toll. Quintana Roo state governor Carlos Joaquín Gonzalez suspended his agenda on Monday. Instead, he will stay on top of the latest developments.
Local media reports that the shooting may be related to ongoing wars between drug cartels. According to a press conference given by state authorities, the shooting initially started between two armed men.
Great