Family in shock after Quebec man shot dead in Mexico

The family of a Quebec man says it is in shock after learning the 27-year-old was shot to death in the Mexican beach town of Puerto Escondido on the Pacific coast.

On Tuesday, Oaxaca state prosecutors said the body of Victor Masson was found in a car on Monday.

Masson is the second foreign tourist killed in the southern Mexican state in less than a week.

The victim's family issued a statement Wednesday confirming Masson's death and on Thursday said his two brothers had gone to Mexico to formally identify the body. 

"Victor and his partner, who is originally from the country, were on vacation for two weeks visiting her family," read a statement from Annie Viau, the spokesperson for the family. "Victor's two brothers feel completely helpless." 

Viau said the circumstances of Masson's death are still unclear. His wallet was not found, but his passport and phone were found next to him in the car.

The statement said Masson's brothers are in contact with the Canadian embassy in Mexico and found a lawyer to help them understand the context of their brother's "violent death," as they prepare to repatriate his body. The statement said communication with local police has been difficult. 

According to Radio-Canada, Masson is from Saguenay, a city located about 200 kilometres north of Quebec City.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Masson worked as a mortgage advisor at Laurentian Bank and had studied at Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, Que.

Prosecutors did not provide any possible motive for the shooting.

Masson's death came just days after a man from Argentina was killed in a machete attack in another coastal town in Oaxaca.

Argentine tourist Benjamin Gamond was attacked Friday while in the hamlet of La Isla, at the mouth of the Laguna de Chacahua. Laguna de Chacahua is about 100 kilometres west of Puerto Escondido.

Gamond died on Monday in a Mexico City hospital, prosecutors from the state of Oaxaca said in a statement. They said Gamond's alleged attacker, accused of assaulting two other Argentine tourists who survived, is being held on suspicion of homicide.

Oaxaca, known for its beaches, has lower crime rates than most states in Mexico. Elsewhere, in northern Mexico, two American citizens died after a group of four was kidnapped earlier this year.

In a statement, Global Affairs Canada said it is aware that a Canadian citizen had died in the country. It said it is in contact with local authorities, and consular services are being provided to the victim's family. 

"Global Affairs Canada continues to recommend that Canadians exercise a high degree of caution in Mexico due to the high levels of criminal activity and kidnapping," the statement reads.