Trump vows to 'wipe off monsters' after Mexican drug cartels execute three American Mormon moms, their six children
President Donald Trump, on Tuesday, vowed to "wage a war" on Mexican drug cartels and "wipe them off the face of the earth" after three American mothers and their six children from a Mormon community were killed by cartel gunmen.
The victims, who were traveling in a car during the time of the massacre were ambushed in the Mexican border state of Sonora on Monday. At least 17 of the family members were reportedly traveling in three cars from La Mora when the attack occurred. Gunmen reportedly torched a car with the victims inside and even opened fire on one child running away from the scene, according to the Daily Mail.
"A wonderful family and friends from Utah got caught between two vicious drug cartels, who were shooting at each other, with the result being many great American people killed, including young children, and some missing," Trump tweeted. "If Mexico needs or requests help in cleaning out these monsters, the United States stands ready, willing & able to get involved and do the job quickly and effectively. The great new President of Mexico has made this a big issue, but the cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army!"
"This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!" the president added.
Reports state that the family members, who were dual US-Mexico citizens, were heading to celebrate a wedding anniversary when the assault occurred. Some of the young children in the cars managed to escape and hide by the roadside while one of the mothers was shot in the chest as she put her hands up to surrender, according to the outlet. Relatives of the victims fear that some of the victims may have been raped.
Rhonita Maria LeBaron was driving to Phoenix on Monday with her four children to pick up her husband and return to Mexico to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Her car had reportedly broken down when gunmen opened fire and torched the vehicle, killing her, her six-month-old twins, Titus and Tiana, her 10-year-old daughter Krystal and 12-year-old son Howard. Several other family members were also gunned down eight miles away in different attacks.
The motivation for the brutal massacre is not yet clear, although family members believe that it was an attempted kidnapping after one relative reported receiving a phone call hearing screams before the members were executed.