Share

'Cartel gunmen' kill 5 members of a family near Mexican border city

Mexico City - Gunmen believed to belong to a local drug cartel killed five members of a family near the Mexican border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas, authorities said on Thursday.

The assailants arrived at the family's home and forced the inhabitants outside, then killed a grandfather, his son and three of his grandchildren, aged 10 to 19, Tamaulipas state's government said. The killings took place late on Wednesday.

The gunmen reportedly questioned the family about a rival gang, and then shot them to death and ransacked the home on a road between Reynosa and the neighbouring city of Matamoros.

Earlier on Thursday, journalist Pedro Ferriz said he was robbed at gunpoint while webcasting from his car in Mexico City. Ferriz, best known for his radio programmes, kept recording and taped part of his own robbery.

Ferriz was speaking into a cellphone app when he was robbed of his watch and phone by an assailant with a pistol.

In the video, which was posted on local websites, Ferriz is seen taping himself when suddenly a scuffle ensues. He can be heard saying, "I'm on air!"

The assault occurred on a street in an upscale neighbourhood just blocks from the presidential residence.

The robbery drew attention to Mexico City's problem with persistent crime, despite the fact the capital has been largely spared the large-scale drug cartel violence affecting some regions of the country.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Can radio hosts and media personalities be apolitical?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes, impartiality is key for public trust
32% - 386 votes
No, let's be real, we all have inherent biases
68% - 810 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.10
+0.3%
Rand - Pound
23.71
+0.5%
Rand - Euro
20.38
+0.1%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.28
+0.2%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
942.60
-0.8%
Palladium
1,029.00
-0.1%
Gold
2,395.52
+0.7%
Silver
28.60
+1.3%
Brent-ruolie
87.11
-0.2%
Top 40
67,314
+0.2%
All Share
73,364
+0.1%
Resource 10
63,285
-0.0%
Industrial 25
98,701
+0.3%
Financial 15
15,499
+0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE