ThreepeopleconnectedtotheU.S.consulateinCiudadJuarez,Mexico,werekilledintwodrive-byshootings,aseniorWhiteHouseofficialtoldCNNSunday.
TwoofthevictimswereanAmericanemployeeattheconsulateandherU.S.citizenhusband.ThehusbandofaMexicanemployeeoftheconsulatewasalsokilled.TheshootingshappenedSaturdayafternoon,theofficialsaid.
TheAmericancouple,identifiedbyMexicanauthoritiesonlyasawomanabout25yearsoldandamanaround30,werefounddeadinsideawhiteToyotaRAV4withTexaslicenseplates,accordingtotheChihuahuastateattorneygeneral'soffice.
Thewomanwasshotintheneckandleftarm,whilethemanhadabulletwoundnearhisrighteye,officialssaid.
"WeknowthattheU.S.citizensweretargeted,"JuarezMayorJoseReyesFerriztoldCNN,sayingapoliceofficerwitnessedacarshootingattheAmericans'car."Weknowtheywerechasingthem.Weknowtheywantedtokillthem."
Authoritiesretrievedonlyoneshellcasing,froma9mmweapon.
About10minutesbeforeauthoritiesreceivedthecall,theywerealertedtoabodyinsidea2003HondaPilot.InsidewasthehusbandoftheMexicanemployee,identifiedasJorgeAlbertoSalcidoCeniceros,37.ReyessaidthevictimwasastatepoliceofficerwhowasmarriedtoaMexicanemployeeattheU.S.consulate.
Twochildren,4and7,wereinjuredinthatshootingandtransportedtothehospital,theattorneygeneral'sofficesaid.
Policerecoveredtwoshellsatthatscenefromanassaultrifle,authoritiessaid.
"ThepresidentisdeeplysaddenedandoutragedbythenewsofthebrutalmurdersofthreepeopleassociatedwiththeUnitedStatesConsulateGeneralinCiudadJuarez,"NationalSecurityCouncilSpoke**anMikeHammersaidinthestatementSunday."Heextendshiscondolencestothefamiliesandcondemnstheseattacksonconsularanddiplomaticpersonnelservingatourforeignmissions.InconcertwithMexicanauthorities,wewillworktirelesslytobringtheirkillerstojustice."
3associatedwithU.S.consulatekilled
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Inresponse,theU.S.StateDepartmentauthorizedthetemporaryrelocationofemployees'familiesworkinginborder-areaconsulates.
ThefamiliesofemployeesatU.S.consulatesinTijuana,Nogales,CiudadJuarez,NuevoLaredo,MonterreyandMatamoros,areallowedtoleaveforaperiodof30days"inresponsetoanincreaseinviolencealongtheMexicansideofitsborderwiththeU.S.,"StateDepartmentspoke**anFredLashtoldCNN.
After30days,theauthorizationcanberenewed,dependingonareview,Lashsaid,addingthatthiswasnotamandatoryevacuation.
TheannouncementwaspartofawarningtoAmericancitizensregardingtraveltoMexico.
ThewarningurgesU.S.citizenstodelaynonessentialtraveltopartsofthestatesofDurango,CoahuilaandChihuahua,whereJuarezislocated,becauseofrecentviolentattacks.U.S.governmentemployeesarerestrictedfromtravelingtoallorpartsofthesethreestates.
TheattacksincludethekidnappingandkillingoftworesidentU.S.citizensinChihuahua,thewarningstates.
"SomerecentconfrontationsbetweenMexicanauthoritiesanddrugcartelmembershaveresembled**all-unitcombat,withcartelsemployingautomaticweaponsandgrenades,"thewarningsays."Duringsomeoftheseincidents,U.S.citizenshavebeentrappedandtemporarilypreventedfromleavingthearea."
Themayorsaidtheshootingshighlightaproblemsharedbybothcountriesalongtheirborder.
"ItisnotjustaMexicanproblem--it'sisaU.S.-Mexicoproblem,"Reyessaid."I'mverygladthattheU.S.hastakenthatposition."
HesaidhesupportedtheStateDepartment'sauthorizationtoconsularfamiliesandthat"itisimportanttheyfeelsafe."
MexicoonSundaysaidthatitsgovernmentwascommittedtoprotectingallpeople,citizensandvisitorsalike,diplomatsornot.
"TheMexicangovernmentdeeplylamentsthekillingsofthreepeoplelinkedtotheU.S.ConsulateinCiudadJuarez,"Mexico'sforeignministrysaidinastatement."TheMexicanauthoritiesareworkingwithdeterminationtoclearupthefactssurroundingthecrimesceneandputthoseresponsiblebeforethelaw."
JuarezisoneofthefrontlinesinMexico'swaragainstthedrugcartelsthatoperateinitsterritory.Morethan2,600peoplewerekilledinJuarezin2009.
Juarez,acrossfromElPaso,Texas,hasbecomeafocalpointofMexicanPresidentFelipeCalderon'santi-drugeffortsaftertheJanuary31killingsof15people,mostofwhomwerestudentswithnotiestoorganizedcrime.TheincidentsparkedoutrageacrossMexico.
InthewesternstateofGuerrero,atleast25peoplewerekilledinaseriesofviolentactsonSaturday,stateofficialssaid.
Thebodiesof14people,includingnineciviliansandfivepoliceofficers,werefoundinvariouspartsoftheresortcityofAcapulco,theofficialNotimexnewsagencyreported,citingGuerreroPublicSecuritySecretaryJuanHeribertoSalinas.
Inthe**allcityofAjuchitlandelProgreso,10civiliansandonesoldierwerekilledintwoshootoutsthatstartedwhenfederalofficialstriedtocarryoutsearchwarrantsontwolocations,Salinassaid.
Policeinthestatewereonaheightenedsecurityalert,hesaid.
Thegovernmenthasnotreleasedofficialfigures,butnationalmediasay7,600Mexicanslosttheirlivesinthewarondrugsin2009.Calderonsaidlastyearthat6,500Mexicansdiedindrugviolencein2008.