The blaze almost completely destroyed the resort, which is located on the country’s southeastern coast and is a popular destination for visitors from the United States and other countries.

The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center said approximately 1,690 tourists were evacuated from the resort and relocated to other hotels and nearby housing facilities as emergency crews responded to the fire.

Local media reported that an Italian tourist died in the incident and that several other tourists required medical assistance. Authorities had not immediately released further details regarding casualties.

Officials said the cause of the fire remained under investigation. The Emergency Operations Center said preliminary assessments indicated that strong winds and sections of thatched roofing contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze across the property.

The fire prompted a large-scale emergency response as authorities worked to secure the area and accommodate displaced guests.

Viva Wyndham’s nearby Dominicus Palace resort was not affected by the fire and continued normal operations, according to the Emergency Operations Center.

The Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean’s leading tourism destinations, with resort developments along its coast forming a key pillar of the country’s economy.

The attack occurred around midday at the historic complex in central Mexico, where the assailant fired from the Pyramid of the Moon, a major monument within the site.

Cristobal Castaneda, security secretary for Mexico state, said the gunman’s nationality was not immediately known and confirmed that he died by suicide at the scene.Six people sustained gunshot wounds and were treated in local hospitals, including a Canadian woman, a Colombian woman and child, a Brazilian national and two Americans, officials said.

Seven others were injured during the panic that followed and received treatment at the site, among them a Russian, a Colombian, a Brazilian and four Americans.Authorities recovered a firearm, a knife and unused ammunition, and evacuated visitors as police and National Guard units secured the area.

Video footage circulating on social media showed the attacker firing intermittently from partway up the pyramid as tourists fled or sought cover, though the material has not been independently verified.Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand described the incident as “a horrific act of gun violence” in a post on X.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had ordered a thorough investigation and deployed personnel to assist those affected, calling the incident deeply distressing.Located about 50 kilometers from Mexico City, Teotihuacan draws millions of domestic and international visitors annually to its ancient pyramids and ceremonial avenues.

Tourism officials said the site attracted more than 1.8 million visitors in 2025.The shooting comes less than two months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Mexico is set to co-host alongside the United States and Canada, with authorities expecting more than 5.5 million visitors during the tournament.

Mexico has long grappled with high levels of criminal violence linked to organized crime, though mass shootings targeting tourists at major archaeological sites are rare.

Officials said investigations are ongoing to determine the motive and circumstances of the attack.