Cancun club shooting leaves 5 dead, 5 wounded, authorities say

How did Cancun become Mexico's murder capital?

At least five people were killed and another five were wounded Saturday after four gunmen opened fire inside a club in Cancun, Mexico, authorities said.

The men, armed with a long gun and three handguns, opened fire inside La Kuka, a club located on a main avenue in central Cancun about 4 miles away from the seaside tourist hotel zone, Quintana Roo state prosecutors said.

Two of the five wounded in the shooting remain in critical condition on Sunday.

Cancun and Quintaroo have seen an uptick in violence, with federal authorities reporting 774 people killed in the state last year, compared to the recorded 359 killings in 2017.

The violence may be due to reports of the Jalisco New Generation cartel moving into the Caribbean resort city and fighting other local gangs to gain control of the area.

MEXICO MURDER RATE BREAKS RECORD WITH MORE THAN 33,000 CASES OPENED IN 2018, STATISTICS SHOW

In January, three gunmen in Cancun shot and killed seven people at a home. The deadly shooting was due to an apparent dispute between street-level drug dealers and ordered by a suspected gang leader who has been linked to the Jalisco cartel.

At least five people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside a club in Cancun, Mexico. (iStock)

Homicide cases in Mexico rose by 33 percent in 2018, shattering the country’s record for the second consecutive year, government statistics show. The U.S. State Department’s travel advisory in November urged people to “exercise increased caution” when traveling to Mexico due to crime.

“Violent crime, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, is widespread,” the advisory stated.

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Cancun remains one of the most popular travel destinations in Mexico and in the world.

Fox News' Greg Norman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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