Vicente Peña Jr,Jorge Eduardo Vargas Aguirre Obituary, Death; – A teenager from Chicago is currently in a coma, and three of his relatives have lost their lives following a shooting incident while they were vacationing in Mexico last week, as reported by the U.S. State Department and local news outlets.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department confirmed to USA TODAY on Thursday that two American citizens were killed and a minor sustained injuries in the north-central Mexican state of Durango, without disclosing the names of the victims.
The 14-year-old has been identified as Jason Peña, according to Julie Contreras, a nonprofit organizer collaborating closely with the family.
On Friday, the teenager was in Durango with his father, 38-year-old Vicente Peña Jr., his uncle, 44-year-old Antonio “Tony” Fernandez, and another family member residing in Mexico, 22-year-old Jorge Eduardo Vargas Aguirre. Local media reports indicate that all three men were killed in the shooting incident. The family had traveled to Mexico to celebrate the teenager’s birthday, as reported by television stations WMAQ-TV and WLS-TV. The 14-year-old is currently in a medically-induced coma.
According to local authorities cited by WMAQ-TV, the family was traveling in an SUV with Illinois license plates when they were attacked. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear as of Thursday morning. Durango officials have not yet responded to requests for comments, nor has Contreras, the founder of the nonprofit assisting the family.
The U.S. State Department has stated that it is in contact with the victims’ families and that Mexican authorities are conducting an investigation.
“When a U.S. citizen dies abroad, the Department provides consular assistance to the legal representative, next-of-kin, and family,” the agency noted in a statement to USA TODAY. “This assistance may include notifying the next-of-kin of the death, or providing information regarding local burial options or the repatriation of remains to the United States.”
The department also assists in preparing a Consular Report of Death for U.S. citizens who die abroad.
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