American killed in Mexico cartel shootout: Ex-DEA agent husband says tourists becoming 'collateral damage'
Los Angeles native Niko Honarbakhsh was gunned down last month at popular Tulum resort
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent who lost his wife to cartel violence in Mexico spoke out on her tragic death, warning crime is on the rise as tourists become "collateral damage."
Karl Perman lost his wife of 15 years, Niko Honarbakhsh, last month after she was caught in cartel crossfire at a beach club in Tulum. He joined "Fox & Friends First" on Friday to discuss his public safety concerns globally and how his wife became a victim shortly after she was chased with a knife in her native city of Los Angeles.
"It's been several years now, where crime has been on the uptick, particularly with drug cartels in Mexico," Perman told Carley Shimkus.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Years ago, they kind of respected areas. They didn't operate in public tourist areas, at least in front, and they didn't conduct violence there because frankly, that's bad business for them as well."
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Perman said the cartels have become emboldened to commit crimes in "very public" areas with little regard for innocent lives.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Unfortunately, some of those crimes involve tourists, as well as tourists ending up being innocent bystanders or what is considered, I hate to use the word, but collateral damage."
Perman previously told Fox News Digital that his wife called him while he was out of town for work last summer and said she was being chased by a man with a knife while walking their dogs on the University of California at Los Angeles campus. He said he told her to call 911 and pound on the doors of the law library for students to let her inside. She told him she had already called 911, and once inside the library, she called UCLA campus police, who responded, Perman said.
Niko Honarbakhsh and Karl Perman smile for a selfie. They were married for nearly 15 years. (Karl Perman/Fox News Digital)
The couple split their time between Beverly Hills and Cancun in recent years, although Perman said his wife had much greater safety concerns being in Los Angeles, despite State Department warnings about Mexico.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The State Department warns Americans to "exercise increased caution due to crime" in Quintana Roo, stating, "criminal activity and violence may occur in any location, at any time, including in popular tourist destinations. Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations. While not directed at tourists, shootings between rival gangs have injured innocent bystanders."
Honarbakhsh was killed on Feb. 9 at the Mia Beach Club in Tulum, where Perman said she died at the scene. Perman said she drove two hours to the Tulum beach club to stay in an Airbnb while he was away for work.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Niko was there with our dogs to enjoy the sunset, on the beach. And basically, one drug dealer saw another drug dealer, I guess competing drug dealers, if you would, and, shot that person inside the restaurant," Perman said.
Tulum is the site of a Pre-Columbian Maya walled city serving as a major port for Cob. Daily tour buses bring a constant stream of visitors to the site. (Photo by: Fredo de Luna/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Fredo de Luna/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
"That person was injured. They ran through the crowd onto the beach. The other person or drug dealer was chasing the person that was injured, and while chasing, shooting at that person, and two of the stray rounds, hit Niko, and she died there at the scene," he continued.
The attorney general's office said in a statement on Sunday that a taxi driver had been arrested for allegedly driving three people to the crime scene in Tulum – a beachside restaurant – to carry out the shootings. Those three people were responsible for the gunfire that killed Honarbakhsh, authorities said, but the shooters have not yet been captured.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think public safety in tourist areas across the globe needs to be studied, just like it should be studied in a lot of our American cities," Perman said.
"[In] any major urban area, it'd be hard to argue that crime is not on the uptick… especially violent crimes… Perhaps we need more police. Perhaps we need more technology, and perhaps we need more private security."
Fox News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
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