An American woman was gunned down by ruthless Mexican cartel members who mistook her father’s pickup truck for one belonging to a rival gang, according to reports.
Isabel Ashanti Gomez, 22, was riding with her dad, Valentin, in his Ford F-150 when they were ambushed in a cartel-controlled zone on the Zitácuaro-Aputzio highway in Juárez, El Universal reported.
Instead of stopping at a makeshift roadblock, which cops believe was set up by the notoriously ultra-violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Valetin accelerated and tried to crash through the barrier, the Sun reported.
Cartel members assumed it was a rival gang driving the truck and opened fire, killing Gomez in a hail of bullets, local outlets confirmed.
Her father was seriously wounded in the ambush, as was a friend with them, only identified as Danae, 26, authorities said.
Just hours before her death, Gomez posted a joyful video dancing with her uncle to wish him a happy birthday.
“I hope you keep celebrating many more birthdays. See you later, after I’ve had a shower,” the caption said.
Gomez held dual US-Mexico citizenship and often visited the area with her family, the outlet said.
The shooting remains under investigation.
