At least five people - including two Canadians, an Italian, a Mexican and a Colombian - are dead after a shooting in a Mexican nightclub on the final night of the BPM music festival.

Miguel Angel Pech, the attorney general of Quintana Roo state, said the shooting occurred about 2.30am on Monday at the Blue Parrot nightclub, one of the BPM Festival's venues in Playa del Carmen, just south of Cancun.

Three of the victims have been named as: Canadian-based security guard Kirk Wilson, Rafael Antonio Peñalosa Vega, 28, of Mexico and Daniel Pessina from Italy, according to reports from theSemanario Playa News.

Pech said a lone gunman apparently entered the nightclub and began to exchange fire with another person inside. Festival security personnel tried to stop the shooting and came under fire. Pech said it was not any kind of terrorist attack.

But the shooting apparently caused a rush of people heading for the exits at the beach-side club, and the lone female victim was apparently killed during the stampede.

The identity of the woman who died in the stampede is yet known but she is thought to be a foreigner, aged between 25 and 30. The other victim, who was also working on security alongside Wilson, is described as being between 30 and 35, from Colombia.

At least five people - including two Canadians, an Italian, a Mexican and a Colombian - are dead after a shooting in a Mexican nightclub on the final night of the BPM music festival (aramedics attend an injured woman at the Blue Parrot nightclub)

At least 15 people were injured (one pictured above) in the incident, which occurred at a closing party for the BPM music festival

Emergency responders investigated the scene following the shooting. Video captured at the scene also showed a man helping a group of people huddled together (right)

Stunned revelers react after a shooting at the outdoor venue Blue Parrot nightclub in the Caribbean coast resort of Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Pech said 15 people were injured, one seriously. He said five of the injured had been treated for less serious injuries at local hospitals and released.

He said three people had been detained nearby, but it was unclear if they had been involved in the shooting.

Former event promoter Neil Forester, and a friend of one of the victims, told CBC News that Wilson, who was wearing his black security uniform, was planning to be in Mexico for about two weeks while working as security for the festival.

'He was the friendliest — the nicest guy,' Forester said. 'He always put other people in front of himself.'

Meanwhile, Pessina, of Milan, had lived in Mexico for several years, where he had opened an Italian pizzeria. He had learned his trade in the family restaurant in Miland's San Siro district and picked up many traditional Italian recipes from his grandmother.

Friends on social media described him as being a lover of travel and, although he had been abroad for several years, had never been forgotten at home.

He was found shot in the abdomen and swiftly identified by his ID.

Vega, was admitted alive to the hospital, but died of his injuries after he was shot twice in the head.

Three of the victims have been named as: Canadian-based security guard Kirk Wilson (right), Rafael Antonio Peñalosa Vega, 28, of Mexico and Daniel Pessina (left) from Italy

Pessina, of Milan, (with his wife) had lived in Mexico for several years, where he had opened an Italian pizzeria

London-based promoter Elrow was hosting a closing 'This Is The End' party at the Blue Parrot when the shooting occurred, and it is believed that many attendees at the event were British and American tourists.

Tourists at the scene have revealed the chaos that ensued during the shooting, and how many initially believed that they heard fireworks or music - not gunshots.

Local news reports suggest that the incident is connected to ongoing drug cartel wars in the area, and the gunman is believed to still be at large.

Three BPM security guards were killed during the attack, festival officials revealed. One of the victims is believed to be a Canadian festival organizer, local media reported.

Three of the dead are foreigners, said Torres, mayor of the municipality of Solidaridad, which includes the popular beach resort.

Rodolfo Del Angel, director of police in the state of Quintana Roo, told the Milenio TV station that he shooting was the result of 'a disagreement between people inside' the nightclub and said security guards had come under fire when they tried to contain the dispute.

Gruesome photos from Blue Parrot in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, show the aftermath of a shooting that left up to eight people dead on Monday night

Chaos ensued following the shooting, causing a stampede inside the venue which resulted in several injuries

The BPM organizers said three members of their security team were killed in the shooting, which it said was perpetrated by a lone shooter. Pictured above, emergency responders investigate the scene

A man with bandages wrapped around both his arms sits in an emergency vehicle after receiving treatment

People wait outside a club where a shooting took place in Playa del Carmen early Monday morning

Officials arrived on scene in the early morning to investigate the shooting and treat victims

The streets of Playa del Carmen were packed with tourists and festival attendees after the shooting early Monday morning

A Forensic Medical Service van is parked outside a nightclub in Playa del Carmen following the shooting

'For the moment we have indications that one person opened fire,' Mayor Torres added. She said the shooting appeared to have taken place inside the club, causing people to flee in panic. Other witnesses said it happened outside the club.

Hector Escardo Steck, from Los Angeles, California, told MailOnline that the club was full when the gunman attacked.

He said: 'It was awful, the club was completely full and at around 2am we heard ten successive gunshots and people immediately hit the floor. Just after that the music stopped and everyone started running in a panic.

'There is a tall fence between the club and the beach and everyone started trying to climb over that. A lot of people got hurt in the attempt top club over, because people were panicking and trying to get away. It was terrifying.

'I was at the back of the club, so I didn't see anyone get shot, but 20 minutes later in the streets I saw a lot of dead bodies being guarded by police officers. People were running everywhere, jumping, punching, running.

'The party had been going since noon, and everyone in the club was either drunk or on drugs, and there was a lot of confusion.

'In Playa del Carmen you see drugs in quantities that you have never seen before, and everyone is drugged up so it was a very confusing experience that no one was expecting. People were very angry and confused, but mainly angry.'

As daylight broke in Playa del Carmen on Monday, police investigators were still at the scene

Of those injured, some were hurt during the stampede as people ran from the night club

Police guard the entrance of the Blue Parrot nightclub in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, later Monday morning

Rodolfo Del Angel, director of police in the state of Quintana Roo, told the Milenio TV station that he shooting was the result of 'a disagreement between people inside' the nightclub. Pictured above, police guard the exit of the Blue Parrot nightclub

Blue Parrot was one of several venues hosting events as part of the BPM festival, which brings together more than 150 of the world's top DJs and musical acts. Pictured above, a tourist takes photos of the Blue Parrot nightclub

Tourists at the scene have revealed the chaos that ensued during the shooting, and how many initially believed that they heard fireworks or music - not gunshots

Mexican police were investigating the scene of the shooting into the late morning on Monday

Shoes and debris remained on the beach in Playa del Carmen following Monday's shooting

An editor for the London-based music magazine Mixmag who was in the backstage area of the Blue Parrot said at least four or five shots were fired at around 2.45 or 3am, indicating that it happened in front of the club.

'People started running because there's an exit in the back. We stopped and hid behind a cement wall, then crawled under a metal table,' Valerie Lee, Mixmag's US digital editor, was quoted as saying by the magazine.

'Security guards at first didn't think it was shots and kept claiming it was fireworks, saying everything was OK. Then people kept running and said they saw a gun. We kept hiding until they opened the back gate and we ran outside,' Lee said.

Lee wrote on Twitter that the music was still playing five minutes after the shots were heard. The music, she said, was 'super loud, likely those inside didn't even hear.'

She said friends outside the entrance were just six meters (20 feet) from the shooter.

'Bodies on the ground. Didn't seem like shooters tried to enter the party,' Lee wrote.

'Police took over 10 minutes to arrive. Victims likely include tourists/party goers, poss (possibly) a security guard.'

Joe Serock, from San Diego, California, said he has never experienced the kind of panic which unfolded after a man opened fire in the Blue Parrot.

'I heard three or four gunshots, but they didn't sound real to me,' said Joe, 28, who was at a beach party next to the nightclub when the shooting started.

People ducked for cover in the venue as security scanned the area following the shooting

As many as eight people are dead following the incident, which took place on the final night of the BPM electronic music festival

People were seen running from the club following the shooting, which reportedly left as many as eight people dead

He told MailOnline: 'All of a sudden people were scrambling over the fence and onto the beach. They just started sprinting away from the place so we did too.

'My friend saw someone bleeding really badly and not moving in the back alley next to the club.

'I had no idea where some of my friends were until we got back to the hotel and messaged them. We were waiting an hour for our other friend to message me, which was pretty scary.'

Joe, a professional gambler who has been going to the BPM festival with his friends for the last few years, said the attack will not put him off returning again.

Charlene Grant, from London, was also at the Blue Parrot.

She recounted to Dazed how she escaped: 'We were partying and thought the gunshots were firecrackers at first, then everyone went down like a sea and shots were being fired.

Scottish DJ Jackmaster issued a warning on Twitter saying, 'Stay in your f*****g hotels' following the shooting

'People were in sheer panic and terror as (we) didn't know if it was indiscriminate shooting or terrorists.

'After about 10-15 mins of laying on the ground we tried to escape over a fence, but it was too high. Eventually we were shuttled out and ran for our lives. (I) saw dead bodies on the ground and people covered in blood. It could have been me or my friends.'

American-born William Rogers, who lives in Mexico City and was in Playa del Carmen for the festival ran to a nearby club to take cover during the shooting.

He told The Mirror that he and others stayed inside the club Mandala 'for around 30 or 45 minutes' until the area was cleared and security let them leave.

'The festival is probably 80 per cent tourists and you could see it was not only cartel people who had been injured. It's so sad and the worst example of the reality in Mexico,' he said of the shooting.

Reveler George de Menezes told The Independent that he and his friends were just two meters from the gunman when the shooting occurred.

He said: 'No one took it seriously, but I knew straight away that it was a gun and dropped to the floor, then everyone dropped with me.

'The music stopped and so did the shots, so we got up and one man was down on the floor and looked dead, and another man had been shot but was trying to stay on his feet.'

De Menezes said that people in the club tried to escape by running to the beach, but shots kept being fired.

Pictured above, a woman helps a man and woman at the scene following the shooting on Monday

Mexican police have confirmed the mass shooting but have not given motive for the gunfire. It is believed that the incident is connected to ongoing drug cartel wars in the area. Pictured above, a woman is helped by officials after the shooting

Among the dead is believed to be the Blue Parrot's security guard. Police have not reported any arrests

It is unknown how many people were injured during the shooting, which happened early Monday morning

'Finally got out from there and got up to the Main Street and there was another man dead on the street, so everyone started running for their lives,' he said.

The reveler said that he and friends heard more shots when they finally got back to their hotel.

Los Angeles resident Jake Lubelski wrote on Facebook that he was 20 feet away from the gunman when the shooting took place.

CRIME IN PLAYA DEL CARMEN Playa del Carmen is in the Mexico state of Quintana Roo, approximately 40 miles south of the popular resort destination Cancun. The town, which sits on Mexico's Caribbean coast, was founded in 1937. It is a popular tourist destination and has been host to several PGA golf tournaments. In Quintana Roo, however, crime is rapidly increasing, especially in the non-tourist areas in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Between 2014 and 2015, there was a 40 per cent increase in homicides and a 43 per cent increase in violent robberies. The state is ranked fifth nationally in reported cases of extortion, according to OSAC. A recent study also ranked Cancun as the Mexican city with the highest levels of human Trafficking activity for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Advertisement

'I was standing outside of a club on an insanely crowded street when it happened; I was maybe 20 feet away from the shooter,' he wrote. 'As soon as I heard gun shots, everyone started bolting and we nearly got trampled by the frantic herds of people.

'As soon as I turned around the corner and got a look at the scene, I saw a man lying on the floor in his own blood. it could have been me.'

A worker at CostaMed hospital in Playa del Carmen told NBC News that a man and a woman were admitted to the hospital at 3.39am local time.

He said that the man was in 'grave' condition while the woman was in stable condition.

A second shooting was reported at the club The Jungle, where another BPM closing party featuring John Acquaviva, Stacey Pullen and David Berrie was taking place.

Videos on Instagram show people running through the streets of Playa Del Carmen following the shooting.

Images shared on social media showed people cowering or running down the street.

Scottish DJ Jackmaster issued a warning on Twitter saying, 'Stay in your f*****g hotels' following the shooting.

The DJ, whose real name is Jack Revill, tweeted about the incident just after 3am local time.

'Someone has come into the club in Playa Del Carmen and opened fire. 4-5 dead and many wounded. Stay in ur f****n hotel if you're here at BPM,' he wrote. 'Apparently now more shots fired at another club in the area.'

Officials have not released a statement on the incident, but confirmed the mass shooting to local media

Officials carried victims out of the area on stretchers following the shooting on Monday

At least two victims were taken to CostaMed hospital in Playa del Carmen for treatment. A worker said one was in 'grave' condition while another was stable

The UK Foreign Office released a statement following the shooting.

'We are seeking information from emergency services in Mexico, following reports of a shooting in Playa del Carmen,' a Foreign Office spokesman said.

Neither US nor Canadian officials could immediately confirm if any of their citizens were among the victims in the shooting.

BPM Festival has said that all closing parties have been shut down as police start their investigation into the shootings.

'After alleged reports of shots fired this morning at Blue Parrot, all BPM parties are shut down while police investigations are underway,' the festival said in a statement.

Festival officials encouraged people to stay inside. The BPM Festival, which ran between January 6 and 15, was celebrating its ten-year anniversary this year.

Following the incident, the festival released a statement confirming at least four people had died.

The statement said: 'It is with great sadness to share that police have confirmed reports of a lone shooter outside the Blue Parrot nightclub in Playa Del Carmen earlier today, which resulted in four fatalities and 15 injured.

'The violence began on 12th street in front of the club and three members of the BPM security team were among those whose lives were lost while trying to protect patrons inside the venue.

Medical officials were seen outside the nightclub following Monday's early morning shooting

While it is unknown how many people were injured in the shooting, several people were taken to the hosptital

Events at the Blue Parrot Club (pictured in daylight) were part of the annual BPM Festival, which closed on Sunday night

'The BPM Festival has been working closely with the local authorities (Seguridad Publica / Policia Turistica) throughout the festival to ensure public safety and security for all visitors.

'We are overcome with grief over this senseless act of violence and we are cooperating fully with local law enforcement and government officials as they continue their investigation.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and their families and all those affected by these tragic events.'

Playa Del Carmen is a popular resort town on Mexico's Caribbean coast located about 40 miles south Cancun.

The town was founded in 1937 and has been host to several PGA golf tournaments.

The BPM festival has grown to be one of the most important electronic music events in the world, with top DJs flying in every January to play the clubs of Playa del Carmen along Mexico's Caribbean coast.

Quintana Roo and the surrounding Yucatan peninsula have traditionally been less violent than other parts of Mexico, with relatively low murder rates.

However, with many foreign tourists and a vibrant night life scene, there has long been an important local drug market in and around Playa Del Carmen.

In recent years, Mexico's Caribbean coast has drawn DJs and fans of electronic music to the beautiful, balmy region during the frigid European and North American winters.