The Mom Who Fought a Cartel
Karen Rodríguez was kidnapped and murdered by one of Mexico's most feared cartels in 2014. Most families would have been forced into silence, but not hers.
Refusing to give up, her mum, Miriam Rodríguez, launched her own relentless quest for justice. In a country where cartels operate with impunity, kidnappings are commonplace, and speaking out can get you killed, Miriam's fearless pursuit turned her into an unlikely hero—and a target.
This is an extraordinary story of a mother's determination to bring her daughter's killers to justice and the high price she paid for defying the power of the cartels.
In this episode: Ricardo Ravelo, journalist
María Jaramillo Alanís, journalist
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
10 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Five dead in NYC shooting, including gunman
At least five people, including a New York Police Department (NYPD) officer and the suspected attacker, are dead after a shooting inside a Midtown Manhattan office block that houses major financial institutions and the headquarters of the National Football League (NFL), police said. The shooting, which took place at about 6pm local time (22:00 GMT) on Monday at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, is still under 'active investigation', New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters at a news conference late on Monday. 'What we know so far,' said Tisch, is that 'surveillance video shows a male exit a double-parked black BMW on Park Avenue between 51st and 52nd streets, carrying an M4 rifle in his right hand.' 'Security camera footage shows the shooter enter the lobby, turn right and immediately open fire on an NYPD officer,' she said. The man then proceeded to shoot and kill two people on the ground floor, including a woman and a security officer, before making his way to the 33rd floor, where he shot and killed a man, Tisch said, adding that another victim is being treated in hospital. 'The shooter is believed to be Shane Tamura, a 27-year-old male with a Las Vegas address,' Tisch said. 'His motives are still under investigation,' she added. The victims included NYPD police officer Didarul Islam, 36, who was married with two young boys. 'His wife is pregnant with their third child,' Tisch said. Speaking at the news conference with Tisch, New York Mayor Eric Adams said that Officer Islam was an immigrant from Bangladesh, who 'moved this city' and died 'saving lives' and 'protecting New Yorkers'. 'We're still unravelling what took place, and our hearts are heavy,' said Adams. 'We lost four souls to another senseless act of gun violence, including a member of the New York City Police Department.' A photo of the suspect, which CNN said was shared by police and shows a gunman walking into the building carrying a rifle, was published by several major news media outlets. The skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue is home to several major firms, including Blackstone, the world's largest hedge fund, KPMG, Deutsche Bank and the headquarters of the NFL. It is located near Rockefeller Centre, just a few blocks south of Central Park. Three killed in Reno casino shooting Separately, earlier on Monday, an attacker armed with a pistol opened fire outside a casino in Reno, Nevada, killing three people and critically wounding two others, before being shot and seriously injured by police, authorities said. The shooting occurred just before 7:30am local time (00:30 GMT) at the valet station in the car park of the Grand Sierra Resort, a high-rise casino and hotel complex in Nevada's third-largest city, according to police. The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was described only as an adult male. Police believe the victims were targeted at random.
Al Jazeera
14 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Five dead in NYC shooting, including gunman: Reports
At least four people, including a New York City police officer, have been killed in a shooting inside a Midtown Manhattan office tower that houses major financial institutions and the headquarters of the National Football League, US media reports. The shooting took place at about 6pm local time (22:00 GMT) on Monday at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, with police arriving at the scene within minutes, according to local media reports. The suspected shooter, tentatively identified as a 27-year-old man from Las Vegas, was also found dead at the scene, CNN reported. The US network said authorities believe he died from a self-inflicted injury, citing multiple law enforcement sources. The New York Post, citing unnamed police sources, reported that the gunman was wearing a bullet-resistant vest and was armed with an AR-style rifle when he opened fire inside the skyscraper. He had reportedly barricaded himself inside the building, possibly on the 32nd floor. CNN said police shared a photo of the suspect walking into the building carrying the rifle. Preliminary checks of the suspect's background did not show a significant criminal history, the report added, citing officials. New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the situation has been 'contained' and that the 'lone shooter has been neutralised'. New York Mayor Eric Adams said in a video message on X that there were 'multiple injuries' in the shooting. The skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue is home to several major firms, including Blackstone – the world's largest hedge fund – KPMG, Deutsche Bank and the headquarters of the National Football League (NFL). It is located near Rockefeller Centre, just a few blocks south of Central Park. Three killed in Reno casino shooting Separately, earlier on Monday, an attacker armed with a pistol opened fire outside a casino in Reno, Nevada, killing three people and critically wounding two others, before being shot and seriously injured by police, authorities said. The shooting occurred just before 7:30am local time (00:30 GMT) at the valet station in the car park of the Grand Sierra Resort, a high-rise casino and hotel complex in Nevada's third-largest city, according to police. The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was described only as an adult male. Police believe the victims were targeted at random.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
The Mom Who Fought a Cartel
A mother's determination to bring her daughter's killers to justice. Karen Rodríguez was kidnapped and murdered by one of Mexico's most feared cartels in 2014. Most families would have been forced into silence, but not hers. Refusing to give up, her mum, Miriam Rodríguez, launched her own relentless quest for justice. In a country where cartels operate with impunity, kidnappings are commonplace, and speaking out can get you killed, Miriam's fearless pursuit turned her into an unlikely hero—and a target. This is an extraordinary story of a mother's determination to bring her daughter's killers to justice and the high price she paid for defying the power of the cartels. In this episode: Ricardo Ravelo, journalist María Jaramillo Alanís, journalist
