Four Americans Kidnapped in Northern Mexico After Gunmen Open Fire on Vehicle

Gunmen in the northern Mexico border city of Matamoros have kidnapped four U.S. citizens after opening fire on their white minivan with North Carolina license plates, The Associated Press reports.

The incident occurred on Friday when the four victims entered Matamoros, which is located across from Brownsville, Texas.

The FBI San Antonio Division office released a statement on Sunday, confirming that the vehicle came under fire shortly after it entered Mexico.

The statement further revealed that “all four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men.”

In response to the incident, the FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for the return of the victims and the arrest of the culprits.

The Gulf drug cartel is known to operate in Matamoros, with the city experiencing frequent shootouts between rival factions.

Such was the severity of the situation that the U.S. Consulate issued an alert about the danger on Friday.

Although the Tamaulipas state police confirmed that people were killed and injured on Friday, they did not provide any further details about the violence.

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