Gay couple 'shot for holding hands' in the streets

A gay couple claim they were shot as they walked hand-in-hand through a Mexican resort in what they believe was a homophobic attack.

Carl Blea was shot in the bum cheek as him and husband Marc Lange walked back to their condo in Puerto Vallarta in the early hours of Saturday morning.

They say that they were confronted by a man who began yelling at them before he suddenly pulled a gun and quickly dived for safety, dragging Mr Lange with him.

But Mr Blea was shot in his right bum cheek, which then flew out through his thigh.

However, while the men believe the shooting was a targeted hate crime local paper Noticias PV are reporting it as a robbery attempt.

Noticias PV released footage of Mr Blea on the ground writhing around in pain after the attack as a number of police officers and paramedics tend to him.

The paper reported there had been struggles between the gunman and the couple - but they deny this and say they didn't say a word to him.

Posting a link to the Noticias PV reports, he wrote: "This was not a robbery went bad.

"It was a hate crime as Carl Blea and I were walking hand in hand.

"We never spoke to the man who shot us. He yelled at us and then pulled out a gun and shot at us.

"This is not correct. We told three different set of police officials the same story.

"There were no witnesses, the street was empty."

Mr Lange, from Palm Springs, California, later told the Desert Sun that he police he's worried local authorities are trying to cover up the incident because it could hurt tourism in a city popular with foreign vacationers.

On Saturday Mr Lange wrote on Facebook: "Last night my husband and I were walking home hand in hand from an evening out in Puerto Vallarta.

"As we cross the street walking into a well lite area, Cardenas Lazaro park, we pass a white car and a person who looked like he had done hard time in prison, wife beater and tattoos both face and body (circle tattoo on right side of face).

"As we walk pass him he shouts something. I turn to look and then turn away, Carl Blea looks and see this person pull out a gun which is now pointed at us.

"Carl begins to run and pulls me away from the shooter.

"A bullet is shot and Carl goes down.

"As we cross the street walking into a well lite area, Cardenas Lazaro park, we pass a white car and a person who looked like he had done hard time in prison, wife beater and tattoos both face and body (circle tattoo on right side of face).

"As we walk pass him he shouts something. I turn to look and then turn away, Carl Blea looks and see this person pull out a gun which is now pointed at us.

"Carl begins to run and pulls me away from the shooter.

"A bullet is shot and Carl goes down.