Palm Springs realtor shot while vacationing in Mexico
It’s every American’s nightmare, an attack while traveling overseas.
Palm Springs realtor Carl Blea was shot from behind while walking home with his husband early Saturday morning in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta.
Mexico recorded its highest homicide rate in years in 2017, with the government’s interior ministry reporting there were more than 29,000 murders. In January, the state department issued a travel ban to five Mexican states because of violent crime.
“I felt really safe here and I guess that’s where we went wrong. I thought that it was fine and we kind of let our guard down,” Blea said.
Blea, a military veteran, told KESQ & CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner that he just has one message for others who are planning to travel south of the border.
“Be aware of your surroundings, get a taxi. Don’t walk at night time. Just make sure you’re taking that extra precaution,” Blea said.
Despite the warnings, many travelers we spoke with in downtown Palm Springs said they are not overly concerned.
Some say it’s because people overreact to the stories of crime south of the border.
“I’m not worried about crime in Mexico, I think that’s kind of blown out of proportion,” said Jonathan Bailey, a San Diego resident.
Others say there are similar problems in the U.S., it’s just a matter of being prepared.
“There’s a lot of dangerous places even in the U.S., so if you take the right precautions I feel like it’s not a huge issue,” Samira Weathers, an Oregon resident.
“Wherever you go there’s going to be bad neighborhoods and risks. There’s always risks when you travel no matter where you go,” said Carter Hewson and Megan Hewson of Regina, Saskatchewan.
If you do plan on traveling to Mexico, the U.S. Department of State suggests the following safety tips:
Use toll roads when possible and avoid driving at night. Exercise increased caution when visiting local bars and nightclubs Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry. Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs. Enroll in the smart traveler enrollment program (step) to receive alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Review the crime and safety reports for Mexico. Always have a contingency plan for emergency situations.
Blea said he was expecting to be released from the hospital Monday night and return to the U.S. Tuesday. He said he believes he will return to Mexico, eventually, but not anytime soon.
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