Scots DJ tells of Mexico shooting horror

A Scots DJ has told of his horror at a gun massacre at a music festival in Mexico, which has left four people dead - including three nightclub security guards.

DJ Jackmaster was present at the closing party of the BPM Festival in Mexico.

Revellers were enjoying the closing night party of the BMP Festival in the popular Playa del Carmen resort town in the early hours of this morning when a gunman opened fire in the Blue Parrot Beach Club.

The festival organisers said in a statement that three security guards working at the club were among the four people killed. Nine people were being treated for injuries at nearby hospitals.

DJ Jackmaster, from Glasgow, who had headlined at the club on Thursday, tweeted from inside the club to urge people to stay inside during the attack.

The DJ, 30, who is also known as Jack Revill and is the co-founder of a number of record labels, including  Numbers, Wireblock, Dress 2 Sweat and Point.One Recordings, wrote: “Someone has come into the club in Playa Del Carmen and opened fire. 4-5 dead and many wounded. Stay in ur f**** hotel if you’re here at BPM.”

He tweeted again an hour later: “This is a very very sad situation. Tryna get my head around it still. Thoughts and condolences to all affected.”

Others told of bullets “whizzing past” their heads as party-goers danced at around 3am local time.

American journalist Valerie Lee said she had hidden under a metal table to protect herself from the shooting.

She wrote on Twitter: “Police took over 10 minutes to arrive. Victims likely include tourists/party goers, poss a security guard. Not clear what the motive was yet.”

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

Australian DJ, Wax Motif, said: “Guy 5m in front of us got shot. We all jumped the fence to get out and saw at least 4 bodies down on the escape.”

Local media reported that the shooting was linked to a drugs-related altercation.

A second shooting, reported to be at the nearby Jungle nightclub, was unconfirmed.

The Foreign Office issued a warning on its website. It said: “There have been reports of a shooting in the Blue Parrot nightclub in Playa Del Carmen in Quintana Roo state; British embassy staff are urgently looking into this; if you’re in the area, you should follow the advice of the local authorities.”

Its general advice for Mexico warns that “crime and violence are serious problems in Mexico and the security situation can pose a risk for foreigners”.

It added: “The Mexican government makes efforts to protect major tourist destinations like Cancun,

Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta and these areas have not seen the levels of drug-related violence and crime experienced elsewhere.”

The Mexican beach town of Playa del Carmen, 30 miles south of Cancun, is one of Mexico’s popular resorts. The country attracts an estimated 450,000 British tourists every year.

All closing parties for BPM Festival have been shut down in the wake of the shooting, organisers said.

They said in a statement: “It is with great sadness to share that police have confirmed reports of a lone shooter outside the Blue Parrot nightclub in Playa Del Carmen earlier today, which resulted in four fatalities and twelve injured.

“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.”

It added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and their families and all those affected by these tragic events.”