A store security video captured the moment that two gunmen shot and killed a Mexican businessman at a coffee shop in the tourist hotspot of Tulum, Quintana Roo. Authorities placed the blame on gangs of Colombian and Venezuelan migrants who are focusing on stealing high-end watches.
One of the gunmen also died when a friend of the businessman who was legally carrying a weapon fought back.
The killing took place this week at a Starbucks in the tourist area of Tulum when two gunmen walked in and tried to rob David Gonzalez Cuellar — a businessman from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. The gunmen demanded the victim’s watch and began shooting when he resisted.
A store surveillance video captured the moment of the shooting, as well as when a friend of the businessman who was legally carrying a weapon fought back.
Almost as soon as the gunmen began firing, Luis Carlos Carrillo Godinez, a friend of the victim who had a gun permit, drew his own gun and began shooting, Mexico’s Reforma News Agency reported. Met with resistance, the gunmen ran away as Carrillo chased them. Local police officers outside the store detained the gunmen. According to Reforma, Carrillo is the son of Luis Carrillo, a construction businessman who is the nephew of Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, the former leader of the Juarez Cartel.
Reforma also identified a second friend of the victim who helped Carrillo chase down the gunmen as Hector Gerardo Ponce Medina, a Spanish citizen who has previously been linked to money laundering operations for the Beltran Leyva Cartel. In Tulum, he worked as an operator for the local city government, Reforma reported.
The businessmen reportedly arrived at that Starbucks after meeting with city officials in connection with a land development project.
According to the statements made by Quintana Roo’s Attorney General Oscar Montes de Oca, the shooting was tied to a robbery gone wrong. The case is tied to gangs of Colombian and Venezuelan migrants who focus on stealing luxury watches. The AG claimed they are in the tourist areas and also in all of the luxury restaurants.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.