A married couple from California, United States, has been fatally shot while on holiday in the Mexican state of Michoacan, authorities reported on Thursday.
According to the Michoacan State Attorney General’s Office, Gloria A., 50, and Rafael C., 53, were travelling through the municipality of Angamacutiro in a black 2016 Ford Platinum pickup truck late Wednesday night when they were attacked.
Gloria was killed at the scene, while Rafael succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to a hospital in Puruándiro.
The couple, who had been visiting Mexico for the December holidays, also had family ties in the area and a home in Angamacutiro, a spokesperson told Reuters. Gloria had obtained U.S. citizenship, while Rafael was born in the U.S. to Mexican parents.
Investigators have launched a probe into the incident, collecting ballistic evidence from the scene and examining the couple’s vehicle, which was found with its license plate unregistered in the Lázaro Cárdenas neighbourhood.
The U.S. State Department has long advised against travel to Michoacan and several other Mexican states due to the risks posed by violent crime and kidnappings linked to organised crime groups. Despite these warnings, the couple appeared to be taking advantage of the holiday season to visit their roots in Mexico.
Further details about the motive behind the shooting remain under investigation.
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