Mexican TV journalist shot by unknown assailant in Cancun

In yet another unabated killing of press person, a Mexican television reporter was on Wednesday shot dead by an unknown assailant in the resort city of Cancun in Mexico.

Javier Enrique Rodriguez Valladares, who worked as a cameraman and reporter for Canal 10, was found dead, becoming the eighth journalist to be killed this year in a country notoriously dangerous for the media, the local television news channel tweeted.

Canal 10 said Rodriguez Valladares was mainly a cameraman but also did interviews and features on political issues.

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Another man was also shot dead along with Rodriguez Valladares, while they were walking down a street in the city centre, the official said.

According to official reports, there was no immediate indication the murder was related to his work. However all possible avenues of investigation remained open.

Rodriguez Valladares is the third journalist to meet a violent death in Quintana Roo state in the past two months.

Ruben Pat, editor-in-chief of the Playa News weekly, was shot dead outside a bar in Playa del Carmen in July, not far from the tourist hotspot.

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In 2017, 11 journalists were killed in Mexico.

According to various freedom of speech organisations, more than 100 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000. The vast majority of those crimes have gone unpunished.

(With inputs from agencies)