Drug Cartel Shoots And Kills Nine Americans In Mexico, Including 5 Children

At least nine Americans with ties to Utah were fatally shot by drug traffickers in Northern Mexico Sunday, according to reporting from the Salt Lake Tribune. The victims, who include five children and two mothers, hold dual citizenship in Mexico, and were allegedly caught in a hail of gunfire as tensions erupted between two drug cartels in Sonora near where they worshipped as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Lafe Langford, Jr., a relative of some of the victims posted the following message on his Facebook:

“It is with heavy hearts and unspeakable sadness we inform you that the 2 missing Mothers… along with many of their precious innocent children have been slaughtered and gone to their Rest.”

The victims included Christina Langford Johnson, Maria Rhonita Miller, her four children, Dawna Ray Langford, Christina Marie Langford, two other women and one of their daughters. It is reported that 12 other people were kidnapped by cartels and remain missing.

Miller’s body, as well as those of her children, were found inside the family’s Chevy Suburban, which had been burned up and shot full of holes. In addition to his Facebook post announcing the tragedy, Lafe Langford, Jr. shared a video of the vehicle, along with the following message:

“We need this to be shared and the whole world to witness the atrocious inhumane and barbaric acts that were committed against us today.” He adds: “All we care about is finding our missing,” he told The Tribune. “That’s all we care about right now.”

Violence and brutality continue to rise in Mexico, claiming the lives of citizens and non-citizens alike. In 2017, the nation reported its highest number of homicides on record. The U.S. State Department has designated Sonora, where the bloody massacre took place, as a Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) region for U.S. citizens.