At Least 5 People Dead in Nightclub Shooting at BPM Festival in Mexico

Report: At least 5 people have been killed after a nightclub shooting at the BPM Festival in Mexico.

Mexican police have confirmed that "at least" 5 people were killed in a shooting at the Blue Parrot nightclub in Mexico's Playa Del Carmen, CBS Newsreported. The gunman wounded 9 others at the club, which was reportedly hosting an afterparty for the BPM Festival early Monday morning.

4-5 shots happened maybe around 2:45-3am and ppl backstage started running. We crouched behind a wall, ppl started saying it was fireworks

— valerie โœŒ๐Ÿผ (@itsvalerielee) January 16, 2017

"The violence began on 12th street in front of the club and three members of the BPM security team were among those whose lives were lost while trying to protect patrons inside the venue,"ย BPM Festival organizers said in a statement on Facebook on Monday. "The BPM Festival has been working closely with the local authorities (Seguridad Publica/Policia Turistica) throughout the festival to ensure public safety and security for all visitors. We are overcome with grief over this senseless act of violence and we are cooperating fully with local law enforcement and government officials as they continue their investigation."

A security guard tried to coerce us and say it was safe, then others confirmed they saw a gun and we hid under a metal table in panic

— valerie โœŒ๐Ÿผ (@itsvalerielee) January 16, 2017

Valerie Lee, U.S. Digital Editor for Mixmag, was at the venue during the shooting and reported that "at least four to five shots were fired." The shooter, according to Lee, "did not enter the venue" and police reportedly arrived more than 10 minutes after the shooting began:

Maybe 5 min passed, music still playing (super loud, likely those inside didn't even hear) and we finally fled and exited out the back

— valerie โœŒ๐Ÿผ (@itsvalerielee) January 16, 2017

Friends outside near the entrance were 20ft from the shooter. Bodies on the ground. Didn't seem like shooters tried to enter the party.

— valerie โœŒ๐Ÿผ (@itsvalerielee) January 16, 2017

Police took over 10 minutes to arrive. Victims likely include tourists/party goers, poss a security guard. Not clear what the motive was yet

— valerie โœŒ๐Ÿผ (@itsvalerielee) January 16, 2017

We are now safe at the airport waiting for our flight back home. Devastated and traumatized but lucky. So lucky today.

— valerie โœŒ๐Ÿผ (@itsvalerielee) January 16, 2017

Additional details were not made immediately available.

This post will be updated.

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