A seven-year-old American girl, Aranza Aydelany Pardo, was killed on October 29 in Matamoros, Mexico, when police allegedly mistook her family's vehicle for cartel members during an anti-cartel operation. Mexican police opened fire on the family's car from a helicopter, striking the girl in the head.
The incident occurred in a region near the U.S.-Mexico border that had been experiencing cartel-related blockades, including burned vehicles and roadblocks, following the earlier arrest of alleged Gulf Cartel member Alfredo Cárdenas Rodríguez. Pardo's family said they were forced off a highway by these blockades.
According to the family, Mexican police in a helicopter pursued their vehicle, believing them to be cartel members attempting to escape. The girl's mother stated that despite their pleas for the police to identify themselves as civilians, the helicopter continued firing. The mother also reported being wounded in the leg by the same bullet that killed her daughter, and that the helicopter continued to circle the vehicle as the family sought shelter.
Authorities in Tamaulipas have confirmed that the bullet that killed Aranza came from a state police helicopter and stated that an investigation is underway. However, officials noted that the officers involved in the shooting have not yet been arrested. Mexican prosecutors claim to have made significant progress in the investigation.
The family has asserted that Aranza and her five siblings are all American citizens. The violence that led to the incident was reportedly triggered by the arrest of Rodríguez, described as a high-ranking Gulf Cartel member linked to various criminal activities, including kidnappings, homicides, and trafficking.