A deadly attack on a tourist resort in Central Mexico by a band of gunmen left seven people dead, including a 7-year-old child, last Saturday.

The incident happened at the La Palma resort in Cortázar, Guanajuato, around 4:30 p.m. The armed men gained access to a swimming pool area and opened fire at random on vacationers and staff.

In addition to the seven who died, another victim was seriously injured. All eight were Mexican nationals.

“After the attack, [the gunmen] fled, but not before causing damage to the resort store and taking the security cameras and the monitor,” Cortázar’s local security authorities informed Reuters in a statement.

As of Monday evening, no media reports indicate that Mexican law enforcement or military personnel apprehended the suspects.

Unfortunately for the citizens of Guanajuato, according to USA Today, the state has earned a reputation for mass violence in recent years, often associated with various local criminal factions and two powerful drug cartels: the Jalisco New Generation cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel.

Violence has also been a persistent problem in Dallas, where City leaders have been unable to stem this year’s spike in murders. Ninety people have been killed in Dallas as of Sunday, April 16, per a report by the Dallas Police Department. This signifies a roughly 25% increase over 2022, year to date.

“The municipal government regrets the events that occurred and will provide the corresponding accompaniment to the relatives of those affected, also reiterating the willingness to cooperate with the relevant authorities pending that those responsible are brought to justice,” local authorities said in a statement, as ABC News reported.

The tragic incident at the La Palma resort comes barely over a month after an armed attack at a bar in Guanajuato, where gunmen killed 10 people and seriously injured several others. The murders were tied to a feud between Jalisco New Generation and Santa Rosa de Lima, CBS News reported.

Drug cartel activity and its corresponding violence in Guanajuato are reportedly due in part to the state being an auto-manufacturing hub with transportation infrastructure offering easy logistical access to the United States.