Oklahoma boy killed in Mexican cartel ambush
Members of an Oklahoma family have become the latest victims of the ongoing cartel violence that has plagued Mexico in recent years. A 13year-old Oklahoma City boy was killed and his mother and brother were seriously injured when their family’s caravan was attacked by what authorities believe to be members of a deadly drug cartel.
Juanita Castillo Lopez, 42, was travelling with her uncle, Jose Silva Mendoza, and two sons Oscar Simei Lopez, 13, and Abdiel Lopez, 10, back home to Oklahoma City from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where they along with other family members had been visiting relatives over the Christmas holiday.
As the family’s two vehicles approached the town of Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, armed gunmen ambushed them, Mendoza, who was driving the lead vehicle, told investigators. One car pursued them while gunmen who were blocking the road fired into their SUV.
Semei was shot multiple times and died in the attack, which injured his mother, brother, and great uncle. The occupants of the second vehicle were not hurt in the assault.
No clear motive has been established for the deadly ambush, but markings on an abandoned vehicle at the scene bore the mark “ZCDN” which authorities say stands for Zetas Cartel del Norte, one of many extremely dangerous drug cartels operating in the area.
Sara Lopez is the sisterin-law of Juanita, and the aunt of Simei. Sara told La Semana that her brother, Oscar, who is Abdiel’s and Semei’s father and Juanita’s husband, was not with his family on the trip but has gone to be with them in the Nuevo Leon hospital where the three are recovering.
Sara said Oscar, Juanita and the two boys used to live in Stillwater, where they owned a grocery store. They later moved to Oklahoma City, where Oscar works as a commercial truck driver for a pipe and tube company.
Sara’s son, Elner 16, described his uncle, aunt, and cousins as “a very united and loving family who are loved by all who know them.”
Sara told La Semana she hopes local and federal Mexican authorities act quickly to solve the murder of her nephew.
“We want justice from the Mexican government because we don’t want this tragedy to happen to another family,” she said, adding, “Now, from my point of view, it is very dangerous to go to Mexico.”
A Gofundme page entitled “Help Support the Lopez Family” has been created by friends and relatives in order to raise money for medical and funeral expenses.
“The family wants to be transferred to a trauma hospital in Texas in order to receive the help they need and also to be closer to family and friends during this difficult time,” the page’s creators stated. “All the money raised will be for Oscar and his family both for immediate needs as well as ongoing expenses that will be anticipated.”
As of Tuesday evening the site had raised more than half of its $50,000 goal.
This was the second high profile killing of American citizens in northern Mexico in less than two months, and how the Mexican government responds is being closely watched on both sides of the border. (La Semana)