Two dead, two alive after Americans kidnapped by heavily armed men in Mexico

Two of the four Americans kidnapped by armed men in Mexico last week, Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard, are dead, and two – Latavia “Tay” McGee and Eric James Williams – are alive and now back in American hospitals for treatment, Mexican and US officials say.

The four were kidnapped at gunpoint on March 3 while driving through Matamoros – a city located directly across the border from the Texas town of Brownsville – in a white minivan with North Carolina licence plates, the FBI informed this week.

Matamoros is considered one of the most dangerous cities in the country, as large areas of the state of Tamaulipas are under the control of drug cartels, who can even hold greater power than local law enforcement. The US State Department advises against travelling to six Mexican states, including Tamaulipas, because of “crime and kidnapping”.

While Mexican officials confirmed on Tuesday that a 24-year-old man from Tamaulipas, named only as Jose “N”, has been arrested, a 33-year-old Mexican woman, believed to be a bystander, was killed in the incident.

Keep Reading

Officials say the four US citizens were found at a wooden shack outside Matamoros and that in order “to create confusion”, the victims were transferred to a number of locations between the kidnapping on Friday and their discovery on Tuesday.

One of the survivors, Latavia “Tay” McGee, was believed to have been travelling to the Mexican town to have a cosmetic surgery procedure to remove abdominal fat. Medical tourism is common, especially among people living in the US border states. The FBI had offered a $50,000 reward for the return of the victims.

While the investigation is still in the early stages, US State Department officials said on Tuesday, investigators think one of the oldest organised crime groups in Mexico – Gulf Cartel – is possibly behind the attack, a US law enforcement source told CBS.

However, it’s still unclear whether the US citizens were mistaken for competing drug traffickers, caught in cross-fire between warring factions, or were ambushed.

Also Read:- Philippines: Oil spill triggers nausea and dizziness among residents in affected villages

Staff Writer

Politics, diplomatic developments and human stories are what keep me grounded and more aligned to bring the best news to all readers.

Recent Posts

Lebanese Politician Urges Hezbollah to Disarm Amid Rising Regional Tensions

In a recent interview with LBCI news channel of Lebanon former MP Fares Souaid warned about growing military tensions in… Read More

November 8, 2024

UAE Sends 288 Tonnes of Aid to Gaza in Ongoing Operation Chivalrous Knight 3

According to the UAE’s state news agency this week two shipments of aid from the UAE entered Gaza through the… Read More

November 8, 2024

Home Hero Sinner Eyes Glory at ATP Finals in Turin

Current world no. 1, Jannik Sinner is also planning to play in the ATP Finals in Turin between the 10th… Read More

November 8, 2024

‘Brutal’ Year: Prince William Opens Up About Family’s Cancer Battles

USA Today reported that Prince William said that this past year was ‘probably the hardest’ of his life due to… Read More

November 8, 2024

UAE and WHO Unite to Evacuate Critically Injured Palestinians from Gaza

In a collaborative humanitarian mission with the World Health Organization the Gulf nation UAE evacuated 86 critically injured patients from… Read More

November 8, 2024

Power Cut to 70,000 Customers in Southern California Due to Wildfire Risk

Southern California Edison the main electric provider in the region intentionally cut power to nearly 70,000 customers overnight as a… Read More

November 7, 2024

This website uses cookies.

Read More