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Twelve-year-old killed by gunmen on jet skis targeting rival drug dealer, officials say

By Julia Reinstein, ABC News Jul 30, 2024 | 5:00 AM
General view of beaches along Cancun hotel zone in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Dec. 4, 2023. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — A 12-year-old boy was killed on a beach in Cancun after gunmen on jet skis opened fire, allegedly targeting a rival drug dealer, according to Mexican officials.

The incident, which took place on Kukulcán Boulevard in the municipality of Benito Juárez on Sunday, is now under investigation by the Attorney General’s office.

Prosecutors said they believe “attackers arrived by sea, aboard a jet ski shooting at some people presumably in dispute for drug sales.”

The 12-year-old, who has not been publicly identified, is not believed to have been purposefully targeted by the shooters.

“The authorities arrived immediately and the minor was transferred to the hospital where, unfortunately, he lost his life,” prosecutors said.

The boy and his family, who were present at the time of the shooting, are Mexican and from the municipality.

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