Mexico vows justice for U.S. family
BROADCAST AND DIGITAL RESTRICTIONS~**
Broadcasters: NO RESALE / MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY HEALTH SECRETARY FOR SONORA STATE / MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY "KENNETH MILLER / LAFE LONGFORD JR" Digital: NO RESALE / MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY HEALTH SECRETARY FOR SONORA STATE / MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY "KENNETH MILLER / LAFE LONGFORD JR" **~
Mexico's foreign minister has visited the scene of a deadly ambush on U.S. citizens.
Nine women and children were killed in the bloodiest attack on Americans in Mexico in years.
Cell phone footage showed the smoking remains of a vehicle riddled with bullet holes.
Reuters hasn't been able to independently verify the clip, that's thought to be showing the car that carried some of the victims.
Others were found in a second car around 11 miles away.
And the body of a third woman was found near the state border between Sonora and Chihuahua.
On Tuesday (November 5), foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard said there will be justice:
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FOREIGN MINISTER MARCELO EBRARD, SAYING:
"That's why we are here at this time, to be at the scene and to later have a meeting. The objective is for this indignation to be backed up by the law, for there to be justice."
The nine victims were members of breakaway Mormon communities that settled in northern Mexico decades ago.
A relative told Reuters several children who fled the attack were lost for hours in the countryside before being found.
A Mexican official shared photos of medical staff tending to their injuries, including bullet wounds.
Some of the victims are now thought to be in hospitals in the US.
Another relative told Reuters all of the victims were American citizens, with most also holding dual citizenship with Mexico.
It's sparked a response from U.S. President Trump, who tweeted on Tuesday saying:
"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."
Mexican President Obrador on Tuesday said he grieved for the victims, and later spoke to Trump over the phone.
It's still unclear who carried out the attack.
Mexico's security minister said they could have been victims of mistaken identity.
Utah Senator Mitt Romney - himself a member of the Mormon faith- said he'd also be surprised if the victims had been the real targets:
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR FROM UTAH, MITT ROMNEY, SAYING:
"Frankly, I think it's much more likely to be something associated with the business of the cartels."
But the extended family has often been in conflict with drug traffickers in Chihuahua.
And other relatives of the victims, who were found in three different locations, said the killers surely knew who they were targeting.
