Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — One male has been arrested in the broad daylight murder of a Playa del Carmen city official. On Tuesday, a city inspector was shot while inside a marked city vehicle.
The driver of the car, a man, was killed. The shooting happened on Río Santa María Street in the Galaxias II area Tuesday morning. Police responding to the report of shots fired arrived to find the deceased driver behind the wheel. The man shot was from the Civil Protection division of Solidaridad.
A search operation was quickly implemented that resulted in the successful arrest of at least one person believed involved. Quintana Roo officers located a white pick up truck. Its driver, 31-year-old Ángel N, was removed from the vehicle and arrested after attempting to flee on foot.
He was located on Paseos del Mayab and 38 Avenues in the Selvanova subdivision of the city driving a new model F150. Local reports say blood was found inside the truck. During his arrest, police also discovered 18,450 peso in cash on his person. There are unofficial reports that a second person from inside the cab of the truck managed to flee on foot while the driver was being arrested.
The man killed was a municipal Civil Protection inspector. He has been publicly identified by Playa del Carmen mayor Lili Campos as Miguel A.L.A.
Campos appeared at the scene of the shooting while police were still on site. She was accompanied by the head of Civil Protection, César Flores and the secretary of Public Security and municipal Traffic, Raúl Tassinari.
In a public message, she reported the arrest of a suspect in Selvanova and that an investigation has begun.
“I am here to show my support for the inspector’s family and my repudiation of this act, which we hope will not go unpunished,” she said. “I condemn the events that occurred where a colleague from Civil Protection lost his life in the line of duty. This cowardly act will not go unpunished. We will find those responsible and justice will be served.
“My condolences to the family. They have the full support of the Solidaridad City Council,” Campos posted on social media.
The inspector had worked for the municipality for six years. He was a technical project inspector who was on his way to map a construction project when he was shot and killed. Witnesses pegged the F150 at the scene, telling police that the truck pulled up beside the car and opened fire.
