Gunfire Targets Restaurant in Playa del Carmen Tourist Zone, Police Suspect Extortion Attempt

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A shooting attack on a restaurant in the heart of Playa del Carmen’s tourist district caused panic among visitors and workers Thursday night, with authorities investigating the incident as a likely extortion attempt.

According to police reports, the attack occurred around 9 p.m. on 10th Avenue between 20th and 22nd Streets. A thin-built man wearing a black jacket approached the restaurant “Mi Rinconcito Colombiano” and fired a weapon multiple times at the building’s facade.

The gunfire struck only the exterior of the establishment, causing material damage but no injuries to the diners inside. The sound of the shots triggered alarm among tourists and workers at nearby businesses, who sought immediate shelter.

The assailant fled the scene before police arrived. Municipal police officers cordoned off the area and secured the spent shell casings.

Forensic experts and agents from the State Prosecutor’s Office (FGE) later arrived to collect evidence and open a formal investigation. No arrests have been reported.

Preliminary information indicates the attack was not aimed at taking any particular person’s life but appears to be an act of intimidation linked to extortion, specifically a demand for “protection money” or “derecho de piso.” This criminal practice has repeatedly affected businesses in the center of the tourist destination.

Recent Similar Attacks

This incident follows a pattern of recent violence in the area. On April 8, another establishment in central Playa del Carmen came under fire when individuals on a motorcycle passed by a bar and shot at it at least four times. According to one account, the shooters left a phone number and a threat related to organized crime’s demand for protection payments.

On April 1, a shootout was reported outside the establishment known as “Acuario” on 40th Avenue between 2 Bis and 4 North Streets in the Centro neighborhood. In that case, a man reportedly approached a white Hilux pickup truck parked outside the venue.