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Tulum taxi driver charged in beach restaurant shooting that killed American and Belizean

Tulum, Q.R. — A Tulum taxi driver has been charged in the deaths of an American woman and Belize man. José de Jesús “N” will stand trial for his role in the two deaths after allegedly driving three armed men to the Tulum restaurant where the murders took place.

State authorities say José de Jesús “N” is the driver of the taxi that transported three subjects who committed the two homicides on February 9.

The State Attorney General of Quintana Roo says José de Jesús “N” will stand trial “due to his probable relationship in events that could constitute the crime of qualified homicide to the detriment of two victims of withheld identity, in events that occurred in this municipality on February 9 of the current year.

“The accused is José de Jesús “N”, who, according to investigations, is the driver of the taxi that transported three subjects, the same ones who committed the two homicides to the beach of a restaurant in Tulum,” they reported.

On the day of the shooting, José de Jesús “N” stopped the taxi in front of a restaurant while the alleged perpetrators went to the beach area in search of a man they located and shot. The shot man is reported by state authorities as belonging to a criminal group known for local violence.

“As collateral damage, they injured and caused the death of a woman of foreign nationality, who was not related to the target of the aggressors,” the state agency added.

While the three men were inside the beach restaurant, José de Jesús “N” remained outside the restaurant, waiting for the return of the three subjects. However, he eventually fled the scene alone. The three subjects “escaped in different directions after committing the homicides.”

José de Jesús “N” was picked up on an arrest warrant and charged over the weekend. He is to remain in preventative detention for a period of two years.

During that targeted shooting, 44-year-old American Niko “H” was killed when she was hit by a stray bullet during the exchange of gunfire between the two criminal groups. The shot man targeted by the other group, who is reported to have died later in hospital, was from Belize.