Andrew Bardole, pastor of the Corning United Methodist Church, told the crowd. On the morning of the attack, the group of family members left the community to drive to a wedding in Chihuahua state, according to Staddon. Lives that we love have been torn from us.". Family members of Kevin and Amy Sharp and their two children -- 12-year-old Sterling Wayne Sharp and 7-year-old Adrianna Marie Sharp -- were making funeral arrangements today, a day after Mexican authorities informed them that autopsies showed their relatives died as a result of "asphyxiation by inhalation of toxic gases. The deaths of Kevin Wayne Sharp; his wife, Amy Marie Sharp; their son, Sterling, 12; and daughter Adrianna, 7 have been ruled as due to gas inhalation in Tulum, Mexico. "The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and welfare of U.S. citizens abroad," the spokesperson added. Kevin Wayne Sharp, 41; his wife, Amy Marie Sharp, 38; Sterling Wayne Sharp, 12; and Adrianna Marie Sharp, 7, are pictured in this undated photo posted on Facebook. "Everyone's just in complete and utter shock," Staddon told ABC News in a Skype interview Monday night. They were all shot in addition to being burned, he said. An American family returning to the U.S. after a holiday visit to Mexico came under attack south of Texas, with armed gunmen killing a 13-year-old. After the phone call with Trump, Obrador tweeted his "deepest condolences" to the family and friends of the victims. "So sorry to read about the Sharp family’s passing," Keselowski tweeted on Saturday. MEXICO CITY -- Relatives say American mothers and their children have been massacred in northern Mexico. Eight others were injured in the attack, including some children who were shot. "They were proud supporters of the #2crew and will be missed dearly by friends, family and the community; Very sad story. Family members look at the burned car where nine Mormons were killed in an ambush in Mexico last year. Three women and six children are confirmed dead after they were shot and killed on their way to a wedding in Mexico. "Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the loved ones of the Sharp family. The family was expected to return home last Wednesday from a seven-day spring break vacation to Tulum, Mexico, a small coastal town on the Yucatán Peninsula, southwest of Cancún. Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters Soldiers assigned to Mexico's National Guard stand by a bullet-riddled vehicle belonging to one of the Mexican-American Mormon families that were killed by unknown assailants, in Bavispe, Sonora state, Mexico, Nov. 5, 2019. On Saturday night, about 150 friends and relatives of the Sharp family held a candlelight vigil at the Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, where Kevin Sharp, 41, raced stock cars and was known on the racing circuit as “The Sharpshooter.”, "Nothing I can say tonight can make any sense of this," the Rev. The Attack Occurred as the Family Members Were Traveling to an Airport & to See Family, … Mormon families have lived in northern Mexico for decades. All had been shot, according to LeBaron. There is an organized crime cell linked to the Pacific Cartel that has a criminal presence in the town of Agua Prieta and in the mountains area on the border between Chihuahua and Sonora, but there are also criminal groups on the Chihuahua side that claim to control territorial areas of the state of Sonora in agreement with criminal groups, according to Durazo. In total, nine people were killed. "They said it's either the hot water heater or the gas stove," Hoyt said of the possible source of the toxic gas leak. Mexican authorities said they went to the condo complex and found the bodies on Friday. The family was staying at a condominium complex called Residencial TAO. 0:31. comments. A white Chevrolet Suburban was found about 18 kilometers away with one woman and two children, Cordova told ABC News. Inside that car were Rhonita Maria Miller, 30; Howard Jacob Miller Jr., 12; Krystal Bellaine Miller, 10; Titus Alvin Miller, 10; and 8-month-old twins Titus Alvin Miller and Tiana Gricel Miller, according to LeBaron. The bodies of a family of four from Iowa are expected to be returned to the United States on Wednesday as their loved ones expressed disbelief that they died in their Mexico vacation condo when they were overcome by toxic gas as they slept. LeBaron said he went to the scene with authorities to help collect the bodies of the dead and look for the ones who survived. Family searching for answers after daughter dies at resort during vacation in Mexico, Deadly Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: How You Can Protect Yourself, 13-year-old dies, 35 others sickened in NJ carbon monoxide poisoning. The burnt wreckage of a vehicle transporting a Mormon family living near the border with the U.S. is seen, after the family was caught in a crossfire between unknown gunmen from rival cartels, in Bavispe, Sonora, Mexico, Nov. 4, 2019. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State confirmed the deaths of the nine U.S. citizens and injuries of five others to ABC News, stating that it condemns "this horrific act of violence.". Mexico's Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection has announced via Twitter the "strengthening of the state force" in Bavispe "following the allegations of disappearance and assault of several people traveling to La Mora." Ambassador to Mexico Christopher Landau also expressed his condolences on Twitter. She said her family, although American, has lived in Mexico for decades and they are all dual citizens. Most were not yet teenagers, several were still toddlers. An American family en route to a wedding in Mexico was killed in an ambush in Sonora. Members of the country's national guard, army and state police have been deployed to the region to conduct a "search operation," the agency said. Drug … Eigth other children survived the massacre and many were injured. An American family en route to a wedding in Mexico was killed in an ambush in Sonora. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Christina Langford is seen in this undated family photo. "We thought the worse. The family members were U.S. citizens but lived in a Mormon community, called La Mora, in the Mexican border state of Sonora, according to another relative, Leah Staddon, who was born and raised in the same community but now lives in Arizona. Kevin Wayne Sharp, 41; his wife, Amy Marie Sharp, 38; Sterling Wayne Sharp, 12; and Adrianna Marie Sharp, 7, are seen in this undated photo posted on Facebook. Kevin Sharp and Sterling Sharp are seen in this undated photo. They rented their vacation condo through VRBO, a website homeowners use to rent their properties to travelers. The area where the attack took place -- less than 100 miles from the Arizona border -- is of territorial dispute by several cartels, and it's possible the family's convoy of cars was mistaken for one of them, Durazo said at a press conference Tuesday morning. Kenneth Miller/Lafe Langford/EPA via Shutterstock. "For my mother, it was just me and my sister. Images obtained from a video posted to social media show one of the vehicles attacked by an armed group in which several members of a U.S. family were traveling, in Bavispe, Mexico, Nov. 4, 2019. Hoyt said she and her loved ones are planning one funeral, which will be held at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa, where the Sharp family lived. An American couple that went missing while traveling in Mexico have been found dead at the bottom of a well, authorities said. One of them initially went missing. About 200 shell casings of .223- and 77 mm-caliber guns were found on the scenes, according to Cordova . Hoyt said she and her relatives were given the tragic news about 9 a.m. on Friday. Members of a Mormon community were attacked while traveling near the US-Mexico border, and nine family members were killed, a relative of the victims said. Trump spoke to Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Tuesday, in which they agreed that the two countries will "cooperate closely to ensure the perpetrators face justice," according to the State Department spokesperson. He wrote, “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. The family was ambushed by an armed group, Mexican officials said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Kevin Sharp was a big fan of professional NASCAR champion racer Brad Keselowski, and, like Keselowski, raced in a No. The family was ambushed by an armed group while traveling from the town of Bavispe in Sonora state to Galeana in Chihuahua state between 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time, according to Mexico's security minister, Alfonso Durazo. American family of four found dead in Tulum, Mexico Back to video Police quickly made contact with the U.S. State Department, Creston police said in a statement. Family members of the victims tell CBS News the FBI is part of ... A group of at least nine Americans were killed in an apparent ambush attack Monday in Mexico. Hoyt said she and her relatives grew worried when the family didn't return Wednesday and reported them missing on Thursday to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. ABC News' Nick Cirone, Patrick Doherty, Conor Finnegan, Anne Laurent, Kirit Radia and Alondra Valle contributed to this report. Kenneth Miller/Lafe Langford J/via Reuters At least nine members of an American family, including six children, were killed in an attack in northern Mexico on Monday, the Mexican military has confirmed. At least nine members of an American family, including six children, were killed in an attack in northern Mexico on Monday, the Mexican military has confirmed. ", "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," Trump tweeted. Dawna Ray Langford is seen in this undated family photo. "I don't know what kind of monsters dare to hurt women and children," Pavlovich tweeted. American family of four dies of toxic gas in Mexico. Faith Marie Johnson, 7 months, was found in the second Suburban unharmed in her car seat, which appeared to have been put on the floor by her mother in an effort to protect her, LeBaron said. Five children were taken to a hospital in Arizona with the help of the Mexican military, according to a relative, Julian LeBaron. One of the family's vehicles, a Chevrolet Tahoe, was found burned with five charred bodies inside about 2 kilometers from the village of San Miguelito in Sonora state, according to Sonora State Attorney General Claudia Indira Contreras Cordova. ", Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to address the brutal attack and offered to help Mexico flush out "these monsters. We haven't even thought of any lawsuit or anything like that," Hoyt added. Kevin and Amy Sharp and their two children died in a condo in Tulum "due to asphyxiation by inhalation of toxic gases," authorities said. Video shared with Reuters showed images of a burned-out vehicle that may have belonged to an American family that was killed in Mexico. Kenny LeBaron Reported That Family Members Were Hiding Behind Trees & Were Kidnapped & ‘Being Killed’. Inside that car were Dawna Ray Langford, 43; Trevor Harvey Langford, 11; and Rogan Jay Langford, 2. "We merely await a call from your great new president! "We definitely have an amazing community. We did get some closure knowing it wasn't a violent situation," she said. Follow here for the latest. So she feels that she lost half her family.". Christina Marie Langford Johnson, 29, was found shot dead, LeBaron said. The incident was the second high-profile attack on U.S. citizens in Mexico in the last three months. The La Mora community, located in the town of Bavispe, is where most of the family lives, and they were on a route they often use to run errands, according to LeBaron. She said she and her family members had initially feared foul play. The families were headed from Sonora state to Chihuahua for a wedding on Monday. "It has been pretty violent down there for a while and now that it has hit our family, I just want people to know out here how bad it has gotten.". Relatives said the bodies of the Sharp family are coming home on Wednesday. A Utah family says their father and his wife were killed by armed assailants while vacationing in Mexico with their 12-year-old son. A 13-year-old was killed after an American family was attacked just outside Texas on their way home from a vacation in Mexico. Nine women and children from a Mormon community in Mexico were killed while traveling in a three-car caravan south of the US-Mexico border on Monday, according to Mexico’s security minister. U.S. We are monitoring this devastating situation closely and have removed the property from our site for any future bookings while we wait for more details," VRBO's parent company, HomeAway, said in a statement to ABC News. People attend the funeral of Dawna Ray Langford, 43, and her sons, Trevor, 11, and Rogan, 2, who were killed in an ambush. He told ABC News that the child who was missing has since been rescued. ", Mexico's president released a statement saying Mexico did not "need the intervention of a foreign government to deal with these cases.". Kenneth Miller/Lafe Langford J/via Reuters. (MORE: Thousands from both sides of US-Mexico border unite at vigil mass shooting victims), (MORE: Professors design see-saws for US-Mexico border to allow children to play together). "When a U.S. citizen is missing or passes away overseas, we engage with local officials at multiple levels and provide all appropriate consular assistance. This has had a huge impact on all of us," Hoyt said. Relatives said the bodies of the Sharp family are coming home on Wednesday. A third vehicle, a white Suburban, was discovered about 2 kilometers away from the border between Sonora and Chihuahua states, with a woman's body found about 15 meters away from the SUV, according to Cordova. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and the Secretary of Public Security Alfonso Durazo talk about an attack on a Mormon family from the U.S. during a morning press conference in Mexico City, Nov. 5, 2019. Rhonita Maria Miller, who was driving the Chevrolet Tahoe with her children in tow, was going to pick up her husband in the United States before heading to the wedding, according to LeBaron. According to... 2. Bodies of American family of 4 killed by gas poisoning in Mexico coming home for funeral: Relatives. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "We are closely monitoring local Mexican authorities’ investigation, and as President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo have stated, we offer to support this investigation," the spokesperson said. American family killed in ambush in Mexico. Unaffiliated with the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some practice plural marriage, while others are monogamous. The FBI said it was in contact with Mexican law enforcement and "offered assistance and stand ready to assist in the wake of this tragedy.”, Claudia Pavlovich Arellano, the governor of Mexico's Sonora state, also mentioned the massacre in a tweet Tuesday, vowing to use all her power to not let the crimes go "unpunished" and to make "those responsible pay.". According to LeBaron, the identities of the survivors in the first Suburban included Kylie Evelyn Langford, 14, who was shot in the foot; Devin Blake Langford, 13, who was unharmed and walked about 14 miles to La Mora to seek help after hiding his injured siblings in the bushes and covering them with branches; Mckenzie Rayne Langford, 9, who was sent by his sister Kylie for help after Devin did not return soon enough, got lost and walked about 10 miles for four hours in the dark before he was found by search groups; Cody Greyson Langford, 8, who was injured in his jaw and leg; Jake Ryder Langford, 6, who was not injured; Xander Boe Langford, 4, who was shot in the back; and Brixon Oliver Langford, 9 months, who was shot in the chest and wrist. Three women and six children were killed in the ambush, according to Durazo.