Vent all you want. I get it. I just want to keep things as close to the truth as possible. Someone else on here says the shots he heard were from a helicopter. I've pointed out that the helicopter was shooting INTO THE DESERT. The shots could clearly be heard in the condos. In the video, where the shots ring out...please note you cannot hear copter rotors nor is there movement in the bushes to indicate the rotors are near.
With all due respect, did you witness this? My wife and I did, as I had gone out our backdoor to see what all the helicopter noise was - it was hovering somewhere around the Cholla Bay Rd but we couldn't see it as no lights were on.
However when the gatling gun revved up, then started firing it was most definitely in the direction of the Sonoran Spa. The sound of bullets hitting metal and ricocheting all over was not something we would have made up. They were using 'tracers' and there is no doubt that they were firing towards the condos - maybe a bit further down the road - but towards the condos nonetheless. They were obviously closer to us than the Bella Sirena.
This gatling gun firing continued for a couple of hours on and off, and when dawn arrived we could see the choppers. Automatic weapon fire continued on and off for another 2 hrs with sporadic small arms fire as well.
We eventually found a notice online from the US Consulate warning us to stay inside until we got the all-clear (which never came). Then I found this forum.
You can spin this anyway you would like, but the bottom line was we were in fear of our lives, and didn't have a clue what was happening. We sat on the floor of our bathroom for awhile, every time I cam out to see what was going on, firing sent me back. My wife was hysterical and I couldn't calm her down - she was convinced they were shooting at us.
The security guards were scrambling for cover as well (don't blame them as they are unarmed) but at no point in time did anyone check on us or our well-being. We later saw an elderly lady wandering around the Spa lot looking like she had 'lost' it but we didn't want to leave the condo to help her.
You can say "great job, they got the bad guys" but unless you experienced the sheer terror of having a military grade weapon firing so close to you you will never understand. It was surely as intense as any military operation in a theater of war.
Good on the military for getting them, and that apparently no tourists or workers were physically hurt - but this should have never happened the way it did - even at a time when the complexes are sparsely populated.
We have safely left Mexico, but the emotional scars will last for awhile. And by the way, if you want to call me a 'wuss' - go ahead - I'm a retired cop - and in all my years never saw anything like this and was never scared so much. If you are military trained you should be able to cope with gunships firing near you in the theater of war - but not as a tourist hoping for a quiet holiday in a safe, hassle-free destination.
Up to Wednesday morning we enjoyed ourselves, but it's not likely we will be back to Mexico anytime soon, and certainly not PP.
Take that conclusion any way you want - signing off...
The Canuck
