An American family returning from a holiday vacation in Mexico was attacked by gunmen on their way back to the United States, resulting in the death of a 13-year-old child and the wounding of three other members of the family, ABC reports.
The attack took place in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, where the family was traveling back after visiting relatives in the state of San Luis Potosi. While riding in an SUV with Oklahoma plates, gunmen opened fire on them on the highway.
Authorities confirmed that the dead child was a United States citizen, while the parents were permanent residents. The stretch of highway upon which the attack occurred was allegedly “disputed by criminal groups,” and thus was considered “high risk” for cartel violence.
This incident took place almost exactly two months after the mass killing of an American Mormon family in the Mexican state of Sonora, resulting in the deaths of 10 members, including two infants. Such attacks have resulted in increased scrutiny towards the Mexican drug cartels, and as a result, there has been widespread support for such cartels being officially designated as terrorist organizations.