Four Americans were kidnapped after coming under fire near Matamoros, Mexico, with three of those individuals being from South Carolina.
Both Mexico and the US announced the incident, saying the group was traveling from Brownsville Texas to Matamoros in Mexico, when the FBI says their white minivan was fired upon before all four were forced into another vehicle by armed men.
Authorities told CNN that none of the kidnapped Americans had any relevant criminal history and that they believe the Mexican cartel likely mistook them for Haitian drug smugglers.
The kidnapped group of friends, who grew up together in South Carolina, were identified as 33-year-old Latavia “Tay” Washington McGee, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown alongside their fourth friend Eric James Williams.
Investigators are in contact with the mother of one of the victims, and a $50,000 reward is being offered for their returns and the kidnappers’ arrests.
