Five Reported Dead After Mass Shooting at The BPM Festival in Mexico
Tragedy struck The BPM Festival on its closing night at Playa Del Carmen in Mexico, as five people are reported dead after a shooter opened fire outside a club Monday (Jan 16) morning. 15 people were reportedly injured in the gunfire.
NBC News reports that a lone gunman tried to enter the Blue Parrot nightclub at 2:30 AM local time but was denied entry. The gunman subsequently took out a weapon and attacked security guards.
Four men -- two Canadians, one Italian, and one Colombian -- died as a result of gunshot wounds. Three of the dead were security guards hired to work for the festival. A fifth person, a woman, died as a result of the stampede that ensued following the chaos of the shooting.
Authorities announced that three people are in custody, but it is unclear what roles any of them may have had in the crime.
The BPM Festival had been celebrating its 10th anniversary and is described as "an annual ten day and night electronic music festival." Headliners this year included Erick Morillo, ++, Anjunadeep, We Are the Night, and more. Organizers shut down all parties and events related to the festival immediately after the shooting.
Video posted to Twitter showing people frantically rushing into the street as first responders arrived.