A Mexican national was gunned down in broad daylight near a luxurious Cancun resort by two suspects ... was a targeted attack ...

On the beach you ... Hotel Riu Palace Las Americas sits between the sparkling blue Caribbean and the calm waters of Nichupte Lagoon on the northern bend of Cancun's Hotel Zone.

The beach, however ... islet that constitutes the Hotel Zone, Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula sits a bit farther from the airport than some of Cancun's other all-inclusive resorts.

Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Visitors at a luxury Cancun hotel were on alert ... The incident happened on a beach near the Riu Caribe hotel shortly before noon on Wednesday ...