Nine Americans were gunned down while driving on a highway in Sonora, Mexico on Monday in an ambush carried out by suspected cartel members.
The slain victims included three women and six children, including 8-month old twins; along with eight surviving children, some of whom suffered serious injuries, CBS News reported.
Victims of the Mexican cartel ambush attack on US families, Nov. 4, 2019. (Heather Miller/Facebook)
The victims were part of a motorcade of several families from a decades-old fundamentalist Mormon community in northwest Mexico approximately 75 miles from the U.S. border.
Victims of the Mexican cartel ambush attack on US families, Nov. 4, 2019. (Heather Miller/Facebook)
Some of the family members were on their way to Arizona for a shopping trip, while others were traveling to the Mexican state of Chihuahua see family members.
Julian LeBarón, a cousin of the three slain women, said one of the women was on her way to Phoenix to pick up her husband from the airport when her car broke down.
Three cars were hit by gunfire and one was set on fire.
At least three women and six children were killed during an ambush in Northern Mexico, less than 100 miles from the U.S. border, while traveling to a wedding. @evapilgrim has the details. pic.twitter.com/yYTZoeXjFF
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 5, 2019
Trump addressed the deaths in a statement to his Twitter account.
“A wonderful family and friends from Utah got caught between two vicious drug cartels, who were shooting at each other, with the result being many great American people killed, including young children, and some missing,” he said.
….monsters, the United States stands ready, willing & able to get involved and do the job quickly and effectively. The great new President of Mexico has made this a big issue, but the cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2019
“If Mexico needs or requests help in cleaning out these monsters, the United States stands ready, willing & able to get involved and do the job quickly and effectively. The great new President of Mexico has made this a big issue, but the cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army!” he continued.
“This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!” Trump added.
This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2019
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Christopher Landau said in a tweet in Spanish that “the safety of our fellow citizens is our top priority. I am closely following the situation in the mountains between Sonora and Chihuahua,” according to a translation provided by NBC News.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called it “a lamentable situation” and announced plans to speak with Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported.
