Monday, August 23, 2010

US Consulate General Monterrey personnel urged to keep kids at home following American School Shootout

Cerro de la Silla, the city's most recognized ...Image via WikipediaThe U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey, Mexico released the following Warden Message on August 22, 2010:

As I am sure you are aware, a shoot out occurred on August 20 in front of the American School in Monterrey (AFSM).  An investigation is continuing into the details, but at this point it appears that it was an attempted kidnapping targeting the relatives of a local business executive.  While it does not appear that U.S. families were targeted, the sharp increase in kidnapping incidents in the Monterrey area, and this event in particular, present a very high risk to the families of U.S. citizens who might be become incidental victims.  It is incumbent on all of us to take measures to reduce exposure to risk and enhance personal security.

The security and law enforcement personnel of the U.S. Consulate in Monterrey have intensively engaged federal and local law enforcement officials, as well as the leadership of both AFSM and the San Roberto Schools to determine measures that can be taken to protect children attending these schools.  The U.S. Mission in Mexico is also assessing on an ongoing basis the security of the consulate.  In addition to that, we have engaged security officials at a national level on measures to address the overall security of the Monterrey area.

These various security measures will proceed on separate timelines, and they will need to be driven by realities on the ground.  U.S. Consulate and Embassy personnel will review the input obtained on the immediate implications of the August 20 incident at AFSM, and what measures can be taken to improve the security of AFSM and the San Roberto School.  In the interim, the U.S. Ambassador has urged U.S. personnel at the consulate to keep their children at home while we assess the risks and what measures can be taken to reduce it.

Read the whole thing here.

Monterrey has been a 15% danger pay post since 03/14/2010.











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