NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Update: Two of four Americans were killed in Mexico when their van was caught in the crossfire of rival cartel groups last week, a top Mexican official said Tuesday. The two others are alive, with one wounded.
Four U.S. citizens who were driving a van with North Carolina license plates have been kidnapped in a Mexico border city after a shootout on Friday.
The FBI has stayed pretty tight-lipped about this case due to security concerns. They said the U.S. citizens were kidnapped after crossing into Mexico.
Officials say the license plate on the van was from North Carolina, but it is still unclear if they were North Carolina citizens.
The FBI says all four Americans were put into a car and taken by armed men.
One of the victims was put into the back of a truck in broad daylight.
On Monday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the four were going to buy medicine and were caught in the crossfire between two armed groups.
The FBI San Antonio Division Office said the van came across the gunfire shortly after it crossed into Mexico.
Obrador also said an “innocent” Mexican citizen also died during the attack.
The Department of State and The White House spoke on the incident briefly during a press conference on Monday.
"US law enforcement is in touch with Mexican law enforcement. The Department of State and Homeland Security are also coordinating with Mexican authorities and we will continue to coordinate with Mexico and push them to bring those responsible to justice," said White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre.
Ned Price with the U.S. Department of State said, “The travel advisory for Tamaulipas state remains at level four. Do not travel. We encourage Americans to heed that advice.”
Local travel advisor, Ginny Maurer with Cruise Planners, explained that even though some parts of Mexico aren’t safe, it doesn’t mean all of Mexico is unsafe.
It's all about going to the right places and being smart.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for the victims' return and the arrest of those involved.
Again, authorities have provided no other details about who the victims were or where they were from.