Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — Authorities are investigating the Christmas Day shooting of two people in Playa del Carmen. A woman and a minor child were killed in a targeted attack early Thursday.
Police were notified of the attack around 8:30 a.m. near the city’s penitentiary. The woman was driving a car to visit an inmate when her vehicle was targeted. The female driver and child inside were killed.
Several police units along with military vehicles patrolled the area outside the Playa del Carmen Municipal Detention Centre Thursday morning after the shooting.
The woman was reported to have driven to Playa del Carmen from Tulum. She had made the trip to visit an inmate at the time of the incident. Her relation to the person she was going to visit is unknown, however, there are reports she was the girlfriend of a criminal gang member.
According to preliminary information the attack appears to have been related to a confrontation between two criminal groups identified as Los Pelones and Los Compich.
Nearby security cameras captured two men shooting at the car. It is not clear if they are members of either of the criminal groups or outside hired hitmen.
The woman is reported to have been a girlfriend of one of those gang members and the minor a child, also belonging to a criminal gang member. It is not known from which gang they were connected.
Reports say one person, a man, was taken into custody at the scene. Police have not said if he is considered a person of interest or a suspect in the shooting.
The SSC of Playa del Carmen released a brief public notice confirming the targeted shooting that resulted in the death of the female driver and the minor child riding with her inside the car.
Riviera Maya News serving Quintana Roo Mexico since 2014
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