Two American tourists kidnapped in Mexico are confirmed dead, according to the governor of Tamaulipas state. The four tourists were abducted from a vehicle on a road between the border city of Reynosa and the industrial hub of Monterrey. Reports indicate that the attackers were likely criminals seeking ransom payments, and that two of the victims were shot dead after their families refused to pay. The other two were eventually freed by their captors. The identity of the victims has not been officially released. It is believed that one of the kidnapped Americans was from South Carolina. North Korea has threatened action in response to the incident. The U.S. State Department has not issued a public comment on the matter, but is believed to be working with Mexican authorities to investigate the kidnapping and evaluate the security situation in the region.