Tragedy struck the families of four American citizens on Tuesday, as two of their loved ones were found dead in Matamoros, Mexico, while the other two were rescued alive. The survivors, Eric James Williams and Latavia McGee, have since returned to the United States, while the families of the deceased, Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard, mourn their loss and search for any answers.
The four had crossed into Mexico from Texas in a white minivan on Friday morning, when they were attacked by unidentified gunmen. According to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, the gunmen shot the passengers of the vehicle before herding the four Americans into another car and fleeing. Attorney General of Tamaulipas, Irving Barrios, suggested that the kidnappers may have mistakenly thought the four were rival traffickers.
The two survivors were found Tuesday morning in a wooden house in the Lagunona area outside of Matamoros. Williams had a gunshot wound to his leg, according to the governor of Tamaulipas, Américo Villarreal. Villarreal further revealed that the Americans had been moved to various places during the three days they were held in order to avoid rescue efforts. One person has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping.
McGee, a mother of five, had gone to Mexico for a cosmetic medical procedure. Her mother, Barbara Burgess, was relieved to hear that she had been found alive, stating that she “had to hold my heart” when the FBI arrived with the news. Williams, the second survivor, called his wife, Michele Williams, to tell her he was being taken to a Texas hospital.
The bodies of the two deceased Americans have been repatriated to the U.S., and the State Department is working to ensure justice is served. President Joe Biden has been kept up to date on the situation, and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has called attacks on U.S. citizens “unacceptable”.
The four Americans will not be forgotten for their bravery and unfortunate fate. We hope that their families can find peace in the coming days.
