A well-known security guard in downtown Toronto’s nightclub scene has been identified as one of the victims fatally shot at a nightclub in Mexico.
Gunfire rang out at the Blue Parrot nightclub in Playa del Carmen at around 2:30 a.m. Monday. The club was one of many venues in the area hosting events during BPM Festival – a 10-day electronic music festival.
Global Affairs Canada has confirmed that one Canadian was among at least five others fatally shot at the nightclub. At least two other Canadians have been wounded in the incident.
Friends have identified one of the victims as Hamilton resident Kirk Wilson.
Wilson travelled to the popular vacation destination to work on the festival’s security team. Zark Fatah, who worked with Wilson in Toronto, described him as a truly professional and approachable security guard.
“Kirk could approach a situation and calm the other person down,” Fatah told CTV News Toronto. “(He could) split people up in a calm, cool and professional manner. He treated everyone with respect.”
Neil Forester, a Toronto-based event promoter, described Wilson as a friend who was “one of a kind” and who he had known for 20 years.
“He was the first guy to have your back and help you out,” Forester told CP24 via phone. “He treated everybody with the equal amount of respect. He was respected and loved by his peers, family and friends. Just a great, great guy.”
Fatah described Wilson’s death as a “big loss for Toronto, big loss for Toronto nightlife community, and definitely a big loss for our team.”
Wilson leaves behind his wife and two children. Fatah said their team is going to do whatever they can to support them after this tragedy.
In a statement posted to Facebook, the festival organizers confirmed that three members of their security team had been killed in the shooting.
Organizers said a lone gunman opened fire near the entrance of the nightclub.
“The BPM Festival has been working closely with the local authorities throughout the festival to ensure public safety and security for all visitors,” the statement reads.
“We are overcome with grief over this senseless act of violence and we are cooperating fully with local law enforcement and government officials as they continue their investigation.”
The director of police in the state of Quintana Roo, Rodolfo Del Angel, told a local TV station that the shooting was the result of a “disagreement between people inside” the nightclub. The gunman exchanged fire with another person inside.
He said several security guards were caught in the crossfire as they tried to defuse the situation.
With files from the Canadian Press.
