latavia mcgee latavia mcgee, a 35-year-old mother of six children was making the trip foc surgery.is outside the hospital in brownsville, texas, tonight for us. good evening, omar. >> reporter: good evening. two of the victims are back on american soil, recovering at this hospital behind me. while the u.s. government is working to get back the other bodies of the other two victims. now, we talked to the wife of one of the survivors. she told us, family is still in shock. two americans who survived being cauht in a shoot out and kidnapped by cartel gunmen, were taken to a hospital in brownsville, texas, today. mexican authorities found latavia mcgee and eric williams at a stash house outside the city of matamoros, after gunmen moved them to multiple locations to avoid capture. it was the end of a road trip for cosmetic surgery. mcgee, williams, along with her close friends, shaeed woodard and to zindell brown, traveled last week from south carolina to matamoros, so mcgee could have asthmatic surgery. this video shows the moment when they were kidnapped at gunpoint, after being caugh

two of them, latavia mcgee and r

two of them, latavia mcgee and eric williams, were discovered alive in mexico by mexican security forces and brought back to the u.s. yesterday. but the other two, shaeed woodward and zindell brown, were found dead. jarred hill is in new york with more on all of this sad unfolding of the story. good morning. >> reporter: yeah, it's kind of hard to really feel full relief because two of those americans are not coming back home alive. now we know where this group was found, but how is still unclear. mexican police stood guard outside of the small stash house where two of the four kidnapped americans were found alive. latavia mcgee and eric williams were given treatment and later taken to the hospital in nearby brownsville, texas. williams had been shot in the leg. the two other americans that traveled with them, shaeed woodward and zindell brown, were killed. >> we thank our mexican and u.s. law enforcement partners for their efforts to find these innocent victims. the task is ensure that justice is done. >> reporter: federal officials say the group went to the eastern border town of matam

mexican authorities found latavia mcgee and eric williams at a stash house outside the city of matamorose locations to avoid capture. it was the end of a road trip for cosmetic surgery. mcgee, williams, along with their close friends, shaeed woodard and zindellbrown, traveled last week from south carolina to matamoros so mcgee could have cosmetic surgery. this video shows the moment when they were kidnapped at gunpoint, after being caught in a shootout between rival cartel gangs. here, you see mcgee being forced into the back of a pickup truck by armed men, with others, who appear hurt, also dragged and loaded onto the truck bed. woodard and brown were killed. traveling abroad for medicine and medical procedures is common. more than a million americans traveled to mexico for health tourism last year, spending about $250 million. 38-year-old williams, a husband and father, was shot in the leg, but is expected to survive. we talked to his wife, michele, moments ago from north carolina. she didn't want to show her face, but says she talked to her husband today. >> did he tell you anything a

cruzarÍa para dejar a latavia "tay" mcgee en una clÍnica, donde se realizarÍa un procedimiento. latavia "tay" mcgee, su primo shaeed woodard y sus amigos eric williams y zindell brown. llegaron en una camioneta blanca en bÚsqueda de una clÍnica donde la mujer planeaba hacerse una cirugÍa estÉtica. a las 11:02, las cÁmaras detectaron por primera vez a la caminata circulando por este bulevar. en su recorrido por calles y avenidas, se internaron en algunas colonias como esta. en este sitio fue donde comenzaron a ser seguidos por tres camionetas. los interceptaron siete vehÍculos ocupados por delincuentes. intentaron escapar, pero los sometieron. este es el cruce exacto donde los cuatro ciudadanos fueron secuestrados. a menos de cuatro millas de distancia se encuentra el rÍo bravo y el puente internacional por el que cruzaron. es una zona concurrida y a menos de una milla tambiÉn se encuentra el consulado general de estados unidos en esta localidad e incluso la presidencia municipal. vidrios rotos, el impacto de uno de los vehÍculos en la banqueta permanecen en lugar como evidencia d

latavia mcgee's mother told cnn this morning that she watched her friends die.ir cause of death has not been revealed and their families are still waiting for their bodies to be returned. let's turn to diane gallagher and she has been watching this very closely and tracking the investigation. what more are you learning from the families? >> you know, kate, barbara burgess who we spoke with this morning, the mother of latavia washington mcgee is experiencing intense relief for the safe return of her daughter and immense grief right now for the loss of shaeed woodard and zindell brown. she told me that she helped raise shaeed woodard and thought of him like a son. we have talked for days now about how tight these four were. they grew up together in a small town in south carolina about an hour and a half from where i am now, and they went down, she said, to support latavia, to support her in her quest. she had a medical appointment on that friday. she never showed up for that appointment. bar barbara burgess got a chance to talk to her daughter on the phone yesterd

. >> reporter: the mother of survi survivor latavia mcgee glad she'll be home soon. but not all of them will make it home. mcgee the only one not physically hurt by the captors and her friend eric williams who was shot three times in the leg according to his wife. >> he's alive. i didn't want to imagine what -- what he was going through or, you know, what any of them were going through. >> but mcgee's cousin and friend did not survive. >> she watched them die. >> the group rented a mini van to go to mexico so mcgee could have a medical procedure. burgess tells cnn about her first call with her daughter. >> she was crying. i said are you okay. she said, yeah, she watched shaeed die. >> and what she feared when she got the dreaded call from the fbi who she said confirmed her daughter was in danger. >> they were going to kill her. >> the mexican government saying the group was found in a wooden home and had been moved around to create confusion and avoid rescue. they also say one person in connection to the two deaths has been detained but the investigation continues. f

we know that latavia mcgee's appointment at that medical clinic for that procedure was scheduled forng. now, according to the mexican government, the group does not cross the border from texas into mexico until around 9 or 9:30. then they drive around for about those two hours when the encounter takes place. again, exactly why they were running late or what they were doing driving around town for about two hours is still unclear. as for the arrests announced by the mexican government, it is equally unclear at this hour whether the five men that were taken into custody are the same five men the mexican cartel said they were going to turn over to mexican officials. in the letter that the mexican cartel released on thursday, they apologized for the kidnappings and the incident and they also said that the group responsible was going to be turned over to authorities. late last night the mexican government prosecutors released a little bit of information about their initial encounter with the five men, that they were arrested. we translated some of that information that says in part, quote

i spoke with the mother of latavia washington mcgee this morning and she said that she is absolutely her daughter is coming home, she believes as early as today, but she is devastated that her nephew shaeed woodard who she raised as a son for the teen years of his life after she tells me his mother died and then zindell brown, who she said was also like a kid to her, they all grew up together, did not make it. now, she spoke with her daughter yesterday, she said that latavia mcgee was crying and upset on the phone while she was in the hospital and recounted exactly what happened and what she experienced to her mother. >> they was driving through and a van came up and hit them and that van it started shooting at the car, shooting inside the van or whatever, and i guess she said the others tried to run and they got shot at the same time. shaeed and zindell, they all got shot at the same time and she watched them -- she watched them die. put everyone on that has something to do with it, i want them locked up. >> reporter: now, eric williams also was -- survived, he was shot at least thr

she said they were supposed to return within 15 minutes after dropping off latavia mcgee for cosmetic surgery. the four were kidnapped by armed men when they were caught in a shootout between two cartels. mcgee and one of the men were found alive on tuesday. the other two men were found dead. >>> house and senate members, their staffs, and families have been warned that they may have had sensitive personal information stolen. they were told yesterday that hackers may have gained access to the data in a breach of a washington, d.c., health insurance marketplace. d.c. health link confirmed that data on an unspecified number of customers was affected. a broker on an online crime forum claimed to have records of 170,000 customers. it was offering to sell the information for an unspecified amount. >>> intelligence leaders say china is the most consequential threat to the u.s. national security. officials testified before senate lawmakers explaining how the communist party poses a serious danger. nicole d'antonio has more from capitol hill. >> reporter: lawmakers had plenty of questions for

while latavia mcgee and eric williams are still recovering in a brownsville, texas hospital. ere traveling from south carolina to mexico for a cosmetic surgery for mcgee. tonight we're learning new details about that trip in a police report filed by a fifth person who traveled with the group but stayed on the u.s. side. cheryl orange told brownsville police she last saw her friends friday morning leaving a motel 6. she didn't travel to mexico with the group because she didn't have the proper i.d. when the group didn't return and didn't answer repeated calls, she went to police. the four were found in a wooden shed on tuesday outside of matamoros, mexico. after they were attacked and kidnapped in the mexican border town last week by suspected members of the gulf cartel. one suspect has already been arrested. eric williams' wife said he had another surgery on his leg and he is recovering at this hospital. the bodies of the other two victims are now at a brownsville funeral home. j.b.? >> omar, thank you. >>> there is breaking news tonight from hamburg, germany. police are invest

latavia washington mcgee was not hurt, and according to the family, she could be back in south carolinanow her friend eric williams who is the other survivor in this, we are told that he is recovering in a hospital in texas after he was shot in the leg several times. as you mentioned the bodies of zindell brown an d shaeed woodard will be returned today. and today, the members of the communities remembered the lives of zindell brown and shaeed woodard. and again, latavia mcgee was not injured in this incident and she is talking to investigators about what led up to the deaths and one of the members of the group was her cousin and they had gone to have a medical procedure, and mcgee is hoping that her daughter would come back yesterday, but we were told that is not taking place, and the hope is that she might be able to, she might be able to get back here to south carolina at the earliest later today if not on friday. jim and erica. >> carlos suarez, thank you, and we appreciate the update this morning. >>> amazon dominates online, but it is reducing the brick and mortar presence and wha

video i was line -- i was in shock. >> reporter: haquan burgess says he recognized his cousins latavia mcgeee cartel attack in matamoros, mexico. he says it wasn't the first time mcgee had made the trip to mexico for cosmetic work. >> the thought of her coming over, did that worry you at all at any point? >> no, it didn't have worried me. i'm thinking everything should be okay. >> reporter: mcgee, woodard and two close friends drove to matamoros from south carolina last week when they were attacked and kidnapped by gulf cartel gunmen. shaeed woodard and zindell brown were killed. mcgee and eric williams survived and were found at a stash house just outside the city yesterday. williams was shot three times in the legs and underwent surgery at a texas hospital. back in lake city, south carolina burgess and the entire city are saddened by the news. >> they're lost for words, you know. with everything that's going on. they was praying, you know what i'm saying, for all them to return back home safe. >> reporter: mcgee and williams are both recovering at this hospital behind me. there's a vigil t

. >> reporter: hakquan burgess says he recognized his cousins, latavia mcgee and shaeed woodard, in theoros, mexico. he says it wasn't the first time mcgee had made the trip to mexico for cosmetic work. >> the thought of her coming over here, did that worry you at all, at any point? >> no, it didn't worry me. i'm thinking that everything should be okay. >> reporter: mcgee, woodard, and two close friends drove to matamoro from south carolina last week, when they were attacked and kidnapped by gulf cartel gunmen. shaeed woodard and zindell brown were killed. mcgee and eric williams survived, and were found at a stash house just outside the city yesterday. williams was shot three times in the legs, and underwent surgery at a texas hospital. back in lake city, south carolina, burgess and the entire city are saddened by the news. >> they're lost for words, you know, with everything going on, and they was praying for, you know what i'm saying, for all of them to return back home safe. >> reporter: mcgee and williams are both recovering at this hospital behind me. there is a vigil tonight in s

omar villafranca.ieof shaeed woodard and zindell brown are back on american soil today, while latavia mcgeeovering in a brownsville, texas, hospital. family members say they were traveling from south carolina to mexico for a cosmetic surgery for mcgee. tonight, we are learning new details about that trip, in a police report filed by a fifth person who traveled with the group, but stayed on the u.s. side. cheryl orange told brownsville police she last saw her friends friday morning leaving a motel 6. she did not travel to mexico with the group because she did not have the proper i.d. when the group didn't return and didn't answer repeated calls, she went to police. the four were found in a wooden shed on tuesday, outside of matamoros, mexico. after they were attacked and kidnapped in the mexican border town last week by suspected members of the gulf cartel. one suspect has already been arrested. eric williams' wife said he had another surgery on his leg and he is recovering at this hospital. the bodies of the other two victims are now at a brownsville funeral home. j.b.? >> james: omar, than

two victims, latavia mcgee and eric williams, found alive. two more, shaeed woodard and zindell brown, dead. their bodies now back in the u.s. for burial. david, all five of those suspects now officially charged with aggravated kidnapping and homicide. david? >> matt rivers in mexico city. matt, thank you. >>> meantime back here in the u.s. tonight, embattled congressman george santos is denying he was the mastermind of an atm fraud scheme, instead tonight claiming he helped fight the crime. in a sworn statement to the fbi, justice department, and secret service, a former roommate claims santos trained him to skim credit card numbers from atms. that roommate arrested and deported to brazil. santos insisted he cooperated with law enforcement. insisting the former roommate is lying. secret service saying they have received a letter from that one-time roommate. >>> when we come back on this friday night, there is breaking news in the kristin smart case coming in at this hour. >>> and then the fda on a new treatment for migraines tonight. ? (avo)

we spoke to a close friend of latavia washington mcgee. she was going to get that procedure, and she talked to her friend on friday and told them that basically they got lost. they were reaching out to the doctor's office for directions, but they were struggling to communicate because of spotty cell phone signal. that's what she told her friend. now the friend says she became concerned, and actually reached out to the doctor's office on saturday when they hadn't heard from their friends. we spoke with mcgee's mother as well who said that she was also concerned. family members and friends had been calling. they were just getting voice yn m ynmails and the doctor was concerned they had missed the appointment. the friend says when they reached out of the doctor's office, the doctor's office did say latavia reached out to them for directions because she was lost. they actually sent a screenshot of the message and sent her the address and asked her if she was using gps. they said the office employee she spoke with messaged the doctor's office -

latavia washington mcgee. >> a van came up and hit them, and that's when they started shooting at theshooting insides van or whatever, and i guess the others tried to run, and they got shot at the same time. shaeed and she watched them die. >> the names she can be heard mentioning there are of the two victims, shaeed woodward and zindell brown. the other survivor, eric williams is recovering from a gunshot wound to the leg. authorities say one suspect is in custody, but the hunt is still on to find other people who are ultimately responsible. i want to bring in nbc's ellison barber in lake city, south carolina, that's home to two survivors. also with us, nbc's ken dilanian with the latest from law enforcement. so ken, what do we know about the suspect they do have, and have we heard anything about the investigation or any movement in finding out who the cartel is and the other individuals are who are to blame? >> well, mexican authorities have identified that 24-year-old suspect as jose guadalupe, and they haven't said very much about him, just that he was guarding that wooden shack w

eric williams and latavia washington mcgee will return to the u.s. on tuesday after being found at a small wooden house about 15 miles from the city of matamoros, mexico. two of their friends identified by family members as shaeed woodard and zindell brown were killed. officials say the group had just arrived in mexico for one of them to get a medical procedure which they were attacked in matamoros and what may have been a case of mistaken identity. earlier this morning, latavia mcgee's mother explained what her daughter told her about what happened. >> they was driving through and a van came up and started shooting and hit the car, shooting inside the van or whatever. and i guess the others tried to run and they got shot at the same time. shaeed and zindell, they got shot at the same time and she watched them -- she watched them die. >> with us now to talk more about this, nbc news correspondent ellison barber in lake city, south carolina. telemundo news anchor julio bakedo. ellison, we're hearing more from family members of the survivors, what are

eric williams and latavia mcgee. the four crossed the border for mcgee to get cosmetic surgery. officials believed they got lost. the cartel gunman opened fire and this video shows them throwing mcgee in a back of a pickup truck and dragging the two men, two of them likely dead to the same truck. >> the president takes this seriously. the fbi and other agencies have been on top of this from day one. >> some critics of the biden administration have said the president must now send a message to the cartels, possibly through military action. others argue financial pressure would be a more effective tool. >> we need to bankrupt them and put them out of business and the people responsible for these murders need to be brought to justice. >> whatever happens next is clear than ever that the cartels control much of mexico's border. it has the potential to turn into this kind of violent tragedy. >> jonathan, thank you. >>> standby if you will, i want to bring in marianne ratliff. the biden administration considers reviving a trump's border policy. marianne. >> you may see that old polici

two families in south carolina have identified them as latavia mcgee, zindell brown and shaeed woodardfourth person is only identified it's a eric, one of the family members said the group of friends gone to mexico to take mcgee for a medical procedure and mcgee's mother confirms to cnn that her daughter never arrived for that procedure. the fbi says the group traveled to the city of matamoros on friday just across the border from brownsville texas, the sister of one of the missing americans said she last spoke with her brother on thursday. >> i told him i had a dream i said i'm just checking on you. that's what i told him thursday. and then right after friday morning i texted and i didn't get anything. >> at some point, unidentified gunmen fired on the group's white minivan and loaded them into a truck and took them away. u.s. officials suggest the incident appears to be a misunderstanding, more from cnn josh campbell. >>> special agents from the fbi are working with authorities in mexico to locate four americans who were kidnapped after traveling friday from texas into mexico, the fb

in the party of four, latavia mcgee and eric williams survived. >> and we extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. >> reporter: they crossed the border from brownsville into matamoros, mexico on friday for a medical procedure. they drove a white minivan with north carolina plates and got lost while trying to locate the medical clinic where they were headed. before they were able to locate the clinic, disturbing video shows the aftermath of the kidnapping as heavily armed men loaded them into a white truck and transported them into various locations to evade capture. the mexican president says that those responsible will be found and punished. a u.s. official familiar with the investigation told cnn that they believe a mexican cartel kidnapped the group after mistaking them for haitian drug smugglers. the state department has issued its highest level four warning, don't travel to the state where the group was abducted. >> there are many people who cross over that border for these medical appointments. >> attacks on u.s. citizens are unacceptable no matt

police found latavia mcgee and eric williams alive. but two were dead in a field nearby. attacks on u.s. citizens are unacceptable, no matter where or under what circumstances they happen. >> so some on capitol hill want payback that the u.s. military go after the cartels with or without mexico's per mix. an issue that merrick garland didn't address. >> want to take the fight to the cartel. they're killing americans. >> the cartels are responsible for the deaths of americans and we're fighting as hard as possible. >> so the americans that have traveled from south carolina to mexico to help mcgee save money on a tummy tuck. several thousand dollarses less in mexico where officials believe the cartel hit the americans' van by mistake believing that they were rivalled with an allied gang. the men that we're going hear next, spent years working ice driving a black suburban. he too was mistaken for a cartel competitor. >> a vehicle in their turf that they don't recognize might be a threat for them. might be something that they respond with gun fire rather than to verify to see

. >> the mother of kidnapped survivor latavia mcgee is relieved she will see her soon.live. just two of the americans kidnapped survived the ordeal. mcgee, the only one not physically hurt by the c kidnappers and her friend eric williams. >> i didn't want to imagine what he was going through or what any of them were going through. >> but mcgee's cousin shaeed woodard died. just days later, this terrifying video appears to show one of the americans being involved into the bed of a pickup truck in broad daylight and taken from the scene. burgess tells cnn about her first call with her daughter. >> she was crying. i said, are you okay. she said yeah. she watched shaeed die. >> what she feared when she got the dreaded call from the fbi who she says confirmed her daughter was in dang zbler they were going to kill her. >> reporter: the mexican government saying the group was found in a wooden home and had been moved around to create confusion and avoid rescue. they also say one person in connection to the two deaths has been detained, but the investigation continues. for mcge

latavia washington mcgee, could undergo a medical procedure. >> unfortunately, they never made. two of the men were killed and she and a third man were found alive tuesday. carlos suarez has the story. >> reporter: boris and kristin, good morning much the facebook live video that cnn was able to obtain captures a group driving in mexico before the kidnappingings. cnn was able to geolocate the video to a street in the northern consist most section of matamoros located near the bridge they used to cross from mexico to texas, a timeline indicating that about two hours after the group drove into mexico a car began following them. now, it's unclear what happened after the group crossed the border. we know they were supposed to be going to a medical appointment for one of the surviving victims, latavia washington mcgee. mcgee's friend, sheryl orange, said she made the trip totection but did not cross the border because she didn't have the proper identification. according to orange, the trip from brownsville to the clinic was only supposed to take 15 minutes on friday mexican officials

they were killed near the mexican city of matamoros, and the survivors latavia mcgee and eric williams being treated in a hospital in the united states. >>> this just into the cnn, the investigation involving documents of both president biden and former president trump has this report from paula. what are you learning? >> kathy chung has a date to sit down with the lawmakers of the investigation of the misclassification of mishandling of documents with vice president biden. she oversaw the pack up of his belongings, and the packing up found the way to the penn biden center and late last year classified materials were discovered among the documents, and that is what kick off this now special counsel investigation of the mishandling of classified documents. last month, the oversight committee sent a letter to chung and they have a lengthy list of things that they want with her, including all of the communications with all members of the biden family, and the lawyer said, look, they won't get everything that they have asked for from us, but we have learned that they have handed over some

she is latavia mcgee's mother. and we also have latavia's children.us for their first live interview. i'm happy that you are here to bring light to this. i'm sorry about what happened. barbara, good morning to you and everyone. you have spoken to latavia? how is she doing? >> good morning. she is doing okay. i talked to her last night. >> what did you talk about? >> i thought she was done. she was telling me how they had her in that little place and it was with her brother in it there. and they were all in there together and moving her from place to place. >> did she understand? did they understand what was happening to them at the time? >> no. because she said when they were going through and a van -- they were driving through. a van came up and hit them. that's when they started shooting at the car. shooting inside the van or whatever. and i guess she thought the others tried to run and they got shot at the same time. they all got shot at the same time. and she watched them -- she watched them die. >> and you helped to raise her, right? can you tell

and the party for, latavia washington mcgee and eric williams survived.nd shaeed woodard were killed. >> we're providing all appropriate assistance to them and their families. and we extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. >> they cross the border from brownsville, texas, into matamoros, mexico friday, for mcgee to obtain a medical procedure, according to a friend of mcgee's. they drove a white mini van with north carolina plates across the border, and got lawful trying to locate the medical clinic where they were headed, a friend told cnn. before they're able to locate the clinic, disturbing video shows the aftermath of the kidnapping, as heavily armed men eluded them into a white truck and transported them to various locations to evade capture, according to mexican officials. but the mexican president says those responsible will be found and punished. a u.s. official familiar with the investigation told cnn they believe a mexican cartel kidnapped the group after mistaking them for haitian drug smugglers. the state de

in the party of four, latavia mcgee and eric williams were killed.haeed woodard and zindell brown were killed. >> and we extend our condolences to the families. >> reporter: they crossed the border into mexico for mcxwee to obtain a medical procedure. and they drove a white van and got lost while trying to locate the medical clinic where they were headed. before they were able to locate the clinic, disturbing video shows the aftermath of the kidnapping as heavily armed men loaded them into a white truck and transported them to various locations to evade capture according to mexican officials. the mexican president says that those responsible will be found and punished. a u.s. official familiar with the investigation told cnn that they believe a mexican cartel kidnapped the group after mistaking them for haitian drug smugglers. the state department has issued its highest level four warning, do not travel to the tamaulipas state. >> there are many people who cross over that border for these medical appointments. >> attacks on u.s. citizens are unaccept

latavia mcgee, mother of six, heading to south carolina today, according to her family who spoke to herey and told her i missed her. >> the other survivor, eric williams, remains in brownsville, texas. for now, one person has been detained, linked to the kidnappings, a 24-year-old male who authorities say was watching the victims. mexican officials would not confirm whether he is linked to a criminal investigation. the u.s. is now working to bring home the remains of sil dell brown and shaeed after the four americans crossed the border from brownsville, texas. we do know the group was driving a rented minivan and got lost in route to a clinic where mcgee had a medical appointment according to a friend. we just left the hotel where the americans stayed, and it's about an 11-minute drive to the national bridge where the mexican authorities say the americans cross in about 9:00 a.m. on friday. mcgee's mother said she spoke to her daughter about the kidnapping. >> a van came up and hit them and started shooting at the car. the others tried to run and got shot at the same time. >> reporter:

the mother of latavia mcgee telling local news her daughter is alive and recovering in a the texas hospitaletter brother got killed and she watched him die. she watched two of them die, they died in front of her. the three other americans have been identified, shyed wood dwod and eric. mine knnine boxes taken frompre, revealed to ron johnson and chuck grassley, moore shipping the documents from the penn biden center in washington before the initial trove was found. the nine boxes have yet to be reviewed. eli littlely's g new alzheimer's drug has reportedly failed to slow cognitive decline in patients be, after a trial on more than 1100 people who have a high buildup of a protein in their brain, the protein found to contribute to alzheimer's and dementia. finally, this. first lady jill biden giving mixed messages during yesterday's international women's day award ceremony. watch this. >> and to every little girl who has wondered can i, one person, one voice, one girl fix what's broken? lotlet the women that wecelebrao that question and unebbing the s yes. cheryl: argentinian alba who was bor

. >> reporter: they have been identified as latavia mcgee, eric williams, zendell brown and w woodardve. mcgee was uninjured and williams shot in the leg. they are back receiving care. >> we condemn what happened and feel sorry for the loss. >> reporter: today the mexican government speaking about the tragedy. >> translator: the victims were found in a wooden house three days after the crime. the four persons who were kidnapped were taken to different places. one of them to a clinic in an effort to make this more confusing and avoid rescue. the investigation is on going to find who is responsible. >> reporter: mexican authorities will pros selszcess the bodies two dead victims. they traveled by car from south carolina so one of them a mother of six could undergo a medical procedure. investigators believe after they crossed the border from texas and entered the city they came under gunfire and crashed the mini van according to a u.s. official familiar with the investigation. terrifying video appears one of the americans being shoved into the bed of a pickup truck at gunpoint in broad d

this is latavia washington mcgee, one of two found alive. family members say they were on a road trip so latavia could undergo a medical procedure in mexico. we spoke to her mother just moments ago. >> they was driving through and a van came up and hit them and they start shooting at the car, shooting inside the van or whatever, and i guess that she -- the others tried to run and they got shot at the time. shaeed and she watched them die. >> rosa is in brownsville, texas, where the survivors are recovering. what are you learning about the timeline? we found out about the abductions. we know what happened with the two americans back on u.s. soil. what are you seeing about the full picture that happened in between then? >> kaitlin, we are learning about those intense moments from mexican officials. they are giving us a clearer picture of what happened. they say that the four americans crossed into mexico at about 9:18 a.m. on friday and that they were lost. in fact, they were probably lost for a few hours. according to mexican officials, the am

. >> i spoke with the mother of latavia mcgee. those four lifelong friends who was not ushot during this terrifying ordeal. she was taken to the hospital, her mother tells me that she's been checked out by doctors. she's been spoken to by law enforcement. her friend, eric williams, also in the hospital. his wife telling cnn that he was shot three times in the legs. but barbara burgess, the mother of mcgee, says it is shaeed woodard who is her nephew, but she raised as a son. shaeed woodard died along with zindell, brown. all had been friends since they were children. she described what her daughter told her when she spoke with her on the phone from the hospital wednesday to cnn's don lemon on "cnn this morning" today saying her daughter was emotional, she was crying, and she described those moments that they were kidnapped to her mother. >> there were driving through and a van came up and hit 'em, and that's when they start shooting at the car, shooting inside the van or whatever. and i guess she said, the others tried to run and

we spent some time with latavia washington mcgee's family this morning. was unharmed, at least physically in all of this, but her mother, barbara burgess told us that shaeed woodard who died in this was like a son to her, that she helped raise him and that zindell brown was like another son, a cousin and they all grew up together along with eric williams in the small city of lake city, south carolina, together. they went with her, her mother told me because she felt safe with them and they wanted to support her on this road trip down to mexico for that medical procedure. she said that when she saw that video that rosa was just talking about, she feared that her daughter was going to die and now she's going to process the fact that woodard did pass away and sort of go through that. she didn't want to talk too much about him, and she did get to speak to her taught or the phone and her daughter was crying and that she described to her the moments of the shooting and what happened. >> they was driving through and a van came up and hit them and that's when the

she was waiting for three of them to return to their texas motel after dropping off latavia mcgee for cosmetic surgery. but when she hasn't heard from them, she called police. she talked to anderson cooper. >> i dropped the phone. my body clenched up. my stomach was in knots. and i just began praying. i just began praying for the return much them because i have spoken to tay, it put me at ease a little bit, it was music to my ears to hear her voice. this lady was safe, death damn near, as she said i was worried about you. >> she said she was worried about you? >> i love her. she's the best. she is a beautiful person. >> sadly two of her friends, z zindell brown and shaeed woodard died. >>> and still ahead, an unprecedented third term for xi jinping, how china's president is securing his grip on power. >>> plus search for a motive in germany after seven people were killed at a religious center. ♪ start your day with n nature made. the #1 pharmacist recommended vitamin and susupplement brand. okay everyone, our misission is complete balanced nutrition. together we support immune functio

a government source told cnn the purpose of the visit was for latavia " latavia "tay" mcgee to obtainade it. about two hours after entering the country, a gray volkswagen jetta starts to tail the americans' van, followed by several more vehicles. at 11:45 a.m., their vehicle is attacked by suspected members of the gulf cartel. bystander video of the aftermath shows the victims being loaded into a truck. the bodies of the two deceased americans are now in the united states, awaiting an autopsy. as the fbi continues to work with mexican authorities to investigate, the u.s. ambassador to mexico is calling for authorities to aggressively combat the cartels. >> translator: they have to be dismantled. we have to do this work together with the mexican government. >> cnn's security correspondent and former fbi special agent josh campbell joins me now. do investigators know what the americans were doing in the two hours between entering the country and when they were kidnapped? >> they don't. that remains under investigation, anderson. i know in talking with a u.s. official familiar with this

soil after a harrowing few days latavia washington mcgee seen here today in an ambulance is among theurvivors. her mother spoke with her directly and tells nbc news the violent abduction caught on camera the victims dragged onto this white pickup truck and the fbi says gunmen had opened fire on the group shortly after they crossed the texas border into matamoros, mexico. today authorities confirm two of the americans had been killed. >> we extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased >> reporter: mcgee was joined by her cousin shaeed woodard and friend zindell brown and eric james williams on the days' long trip from their home in south carolina to mexico. a law enforcement official familiar with the matter says it was for a cosmetic medical procedure. mexican authorities say williams also survived but was shot in the leg we spoke with his wife michelle today by phone. >> i didn't know anything until sunday morning when the fbi came everything just seemed so surreal to me >> reporter: she said she spoke with her husband for a few minutes today before he

we're blurring her face since she has not been publicly identified latavia washington mcgee, a mother of six, was among the americans captured friday when authorities say cartel gunmen opened fire on the minivan after they crossed into mexico for a medical procedure. mcgee's cousin, shaeed woodard, and close friend, zindell brown, were killed. mcgee's mother speaking to cnn today. >> she watched them die. >> reporter: another member of the group, eric williams, was shot in the leg and is now recovering did you have any idea that he would make such a trip like this? >> i was totally shocked. i had no idea he would go to mexico. >> reporter: robert williams is his older brother. he watched the images of the two american survivors being brought back across the border on television >> i was overwhelmed with emotion i was very happy to find out he was okay i was totally relieved >> reporter: we're also learning new details about the chilling abduction, pictures released by mexican authorities show the gunmen trailing the white minivan. more images show travel documents luggage, debit cards

. >> reporter: barbara burgess tells abc news her daughter, latavia tay mcgee, is one of the survivors to hold my heart. >> reporter: her mother says she has no major injuries. tonight the wife of mcgee's friend, eric james williams, said he had surgery in texas for gunshot wounds to both legs. >> it's a joy, i guess, that he's alive. >> reporter: the other two members of the group, shaeed woodard and zindell brown killed, their bodies headed back to the u.s. according to her family, mcgee traveled with others from lake city, south carolina, to mexico to get cosmetic surgery. armed gunmen in body armor chased them, opening fire on their white minivan. a source close to the investigation telling abc news that investigators believe the gunmen may have targeted the vehicle because they wrongly believed the group of americans were rival human traffickers. >> our thanks to matt rivers. >>> now to a story with deep cultural roots and potentially deadly consequences. for years many black women have straightened their hair for any number of reasons, including to avoid discrimation or bias. but

>> reporter: well, according to the mother of latavia washington mcgee who spoke to cnn this morning she said that her daughter is expected to head home today. as for the condition of the other american who was shot in his leg, it is unclear. the hospital is not releasing a statement or conditions. we do know that the hospital that you see behind me is the hospital where the two americans were brought to once they crossed into the united states. now, all of this as we're learning more from mexican officials about the actual timeline of what happened in mexico. mexican officials saying that the americans crossed into matamoros, mexico at 9:18 a.m. on friday and that they were lost for a few hours. they were trying to get signal, they were calling the doctor where washington mcgee was supposed to have her medical procedure, they were trying to get to the doctor's office, they couldn't get there, and at 11:45 a.m. is when that dramatic video was taken that shows the kidnapping, that shows individuals being dragged into the back of a pickup truck. now the mom of that survivor, latavia wa

a photo from the scene shows latavia mcgee in the back of an ambulance after she was rescued by mexicanhorities. she and eric james williams were brought to texas shortly after they were found. fentanyl smoke has become so common on the job that it's leading to health side effects. he has been out sick from work for weeks now. williams joined us earlier and says a medical provider refused to even examine him. watch this. >> this is a terrible feeling. i'm responsible for those passengers. we have about 60 cases of drivers who got sick while driving. >> ashley: his company told him to put on a mask to stop it. deadly fentanyl overdoses nearly doubled in seettled last year with 708 deaths compared to 385 deaths in 2021. los angeles lakers retiring former star powell gasol's jersey. contribute to former teammate to kobe bryant who died in 2020 helicopter crash along with his daughter and six others. >> i miss him so much. like many of us do. i love him. i wish he was here with gigi. i really do. but i think he will be proud and he was looking forward to this moment. i love you brother. >>

latavia mcgee and eric williams survived a violent encounter after crossing into matamoros, mexico, from brownsville, texas , for one of them to get a cosmetic procedure. their friends in del brown and shahid woodard died after federal sources say they were mistaken for haitian smugglers. thousands of haitians that are in mexico right now and what you have is you have these smaller factions, these cartel. organized groups that are recruiting haitians to carry out some of the organized crime. the gulf cartel is responsible for the death of these two americans in mexico, but the cartels influences spread throughout the us lieutenant christopher olivarez with the texas department of public safety, says cartels. main objective is to go after kill and get information out of rivals. these cartels are going to continue to operate and become even more bold and becoming more powerful as as no actions being done. that's why it's very important that the federal government takes action now designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations . south carolina republican senator lindsey graham say

four friends from south carolina traveled to mexico where latavia mcgee intended to get cosmetic surgery the days that followed they were moved to three different locations by members of the gulf cartel and security forces located them tuesday morning and the biden administration is in a bind politically, caught between republicans eager to exploit border security as a campaign issue and by democrats angered by the asylum limits in which it's considering bringing back national detentions and do we have a national security crisis just over our southern border? joining me now is a member of the senate foreign relations committee and democratic senator bob mendendes. i invited you on before all of this happened. have you gotten a briefing over the weekend and what's your sans of what we can expect tomorrow morning? >> well, chuck, i have not gotten a briefing yet, but i think that your previous panel pretty much had it right on. the question will be number one, what are the excesses beyond the insured amounts and the ability to deal with those and the companies in terms of meeting payrolls.

watered latavia, tame mcgee, zundel brown and eric williams had just crossed the border when authorities say a group of men opened fire on their white van. police found the four americans yesterday at a shack in a rural area. only mcgee and williams were alive. tears of joy, i guess they they he's he's alive . william's wife says he needed surgery for three gunshot wounds in his legs. i didn't even want to imagine what he was going through, or you know what any of them were going through. mcgee is a mother of five. her mother says. the fbi called her with the news. i had home all i was thinking of laws. thank you, jesus, and there is a guy according to her family, mcgee traveled with the others to mexico for cosmetic surgery. during the three days they were held. they were transferred to various places. is to avoid authorities. a source says. investigators believe the gunman may have mistaken the americans per arrival. human traffickers. so far, only one arrest has been made an alleged lookout man at the shack where the group was found. new backlash this morning after fox news showed new