Shooting near Mexican resort town of Cancun leaves 2 dead

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Two people are dead following a shooting Thursday involving alleged members of rival drug gangs at a beach south of the popular Mexican resort town of Cancun, authorities said.

The incident occurred in Puerto Morelos during a confrontation between the two sides, said a statement from the Quintana Roo Attorney General's Office.

According to initial reports, a group of around 15 armed men arrived at beaches connecting the Azul Beach Resort and Hyatt Ziva Riviera hotels in the Bahía Petempich area near Cancun shooting at people that the Attorney General's Office identified as drug dealers.

People at the scene posted on social media that guests were told by staff to hide inside a hotel.

“All guests and employees told to duck, and we’re all taken to hiding places at Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Resort. Active shooter? Terrorist or kidnapping threat? They’re not telling us anything,” former NBC executive Mike Sington tweeted along with a video of the hotel staff asking guests to quickly enter the hotel.

Hotel guests contacted authorities at the US embassy to ask for support. The US Consulate in Cancun said they offered support to tourists in need.

"The safety and well-being of guests and colleagues is always a top priority. We are aware of a developing situation at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun," the hotel said in a statement.

“The hotel team is taking action in an effort to ensure the safety of guests and colleagues," it added.

This area is the country's tourist hotspot, although for months it has been experiencing a wave of violence due to clashes between several armed groups.

On Oct. 21, a shooting at a restaurant in the resort town of Tulum left two foreign tourists dead and three wounded.