Two men were shot dead outside a gay bar in Mexico after a fight broke out (Envato Elements)
Two men were shot dead outside a gay bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico after a controversial HIV fundraiser that flouted COVID-19 guidelines.
The men, who have not yet been named, reportedly got into a physical fight with a third man in Paco’s Ranch, one of the region’s most famous gay bars, Vallarta Daily reports.
The three men were attending a HIV fundraiser which had faced criticism for flouting government guidelines around the coronavirus. Pictures from the event showed that few wore masks and there was no social distancing in place, with a large number of people packed into a confined space.
During the course of the night, the two victims started fighting with a third man, and the fighting continued outside after they left the venue.
Outside the gay bar, the third man left and shortly reappeared with a gun, at which point he reportedly shot the two men dead.
Gay bar in Mexico faces backlash for hosting a HIV fundraiser and flouting coronavirus restrictions.
The crime, which occurred at 4.30am on Tuesday morning (October 27), has not yet been solved. The shooter’s name and location remain unknown, while police have only said that the victims were two men aged between 30 and 40 years old.
Shortly after the event, Paco’s Ranch celebrated its success with a photo posted to Facebook, which showed members of the LGBT+ community and drag queens embracing and congregating in close quarters – all without wearing masks.
The bar has faced criticism for pushing ahead with the event and for ignoring coronavirus restrictions, despite a recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Puerto Vallarta.
Some criticised the bar on social media, noting that some of the attendees would be HIV positive and could be at higher risk of becoming seriously ill if infected with COVID-19.
Coronavirus case numbers have increased by 25 per cent in the last week in the city.