Canadian man arrested after allegedly killing police officer in Tulum

November 2, 2022

Downtown Tulum, Mexico — The man shot the officer in the village of Francisco Uh May, part of the municipality of Tulum. Creative Commons

Quintana Roo authorities have arrested a foreign man who allegedly shot and killed a police officer in the municipality of Tulum.

The state Attorney General’s Office (FGE) said in a statement Tuesday that Patrick “C.” was detained due to his “probable participation in the crime of homicide” in the community of Francisco Uh May on Monday.

The FGE said that municipal police traveled to the village northwest of the resort town of Tulum after receiving reports that a man, “apparently of Canadian nationality,” was firing a gun at a vehicle.

When the police arrived, Patrick C. shot at the officers and wounded one of them, the FGE said, adding that the injured officer subsequently died.

After the attack, the Canadian man then entered his home and set it on fire before exiting, the statement said. Officers then fired at the suspect, and he sustained a gunshot wound to his leg before being detained. He was subsequently taken to hospital in Playa del Carmen, where he remains in police custody, the FGE said.

The confrontation reportedly took place in the early afternoon on Monday. Francisco Uh May is located about 25 kilometers northwest of Tulum and about the same distance southeast of the Cobá archaeological site.

It was unclear how long the alleged murderer had been living in the Mayan community, described on a vacation rentals site as “a small but unique village that is known for arts and crafts.”