Armed men have stormed a popular resort spot in central Mexico, leaving seven dead and another seriously injured.
The gunmen opened fire near the pool of the La Palma Retreat in the small town of Cortazar in the state of Guanajuato. Footage widely shared on social media showed carnage following the deadly assault.
It was unclear who was behind the shooting which killed three women, three men and a seven-year-old girl, Cortazar’s local security department said.
But in recent years, well-armed drug cartels have waged war across tourist hotspots in the country, which is a popular holiday destination.
Video posted to social media shows several people in swimsuits running around crying, screaming and hugging their children.
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After the shooting, the attackers destroyed the spa shop and took the security cameras before fleeing, officials said. No motive was given for the attack.
Mexican soldiers and police swarmed the area afterwards and searched for the attackers with the help of a helicopter.
Guanajuato, an agricultural and industrial hub, has been Mexico’s most violent state for years.
The Jalisco New Generation drug cartel has been fighting with local criminal groups, including the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, which is apparently backed by the Sinaloa cartel.
The news comes following the high-profile deaths of several American tourists in Mexico. Earlier this year, four Americans were kidnapped by cartel members and two of them were murdered.
Republican lawmakers have since called for a crackdown on cartels with US Senator from South Carolina Lindsey Graham planning to introduce legislation that would designate them as foreign terrorist organisations.
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