Car ploughs into Texas shelter for migrants and homeless 7 dead

[waz]

Seven people have been killed in the US state of Texas after a car struck a group at a bus stop close to a shelter for the homeless and migrants.

The incident happened in the city of Brownsville near the Mexican border at about 08:30 local time (14:30 GMT).
At least six other people were been injured, some of them critically.
The driver has been arrested and charged. Brownsville police say it is not clear whether the incident was intentional.
Earlier US media reports quoted police as saying it appeared to be a deliberate attack.
The director of the nearby Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, Victor Maldonado, said surveillance footage showed an SUV that "ran the light that was about a hundred feet away and just went through the people who were sitting there in the bus stop".
He told the Associated Press that most of the victims were Venezuelan men.
Lieutenant Martin Sandoval of the Brownsville Police Department told local media that the driver had also been taken to hospital for treatment and was undergoing drug and alcohol tests.
According to US border protection officials, the city of Brownsville has recently seen a sharp increase in illegal migrant arrivals.
Mr Maldonado told local media quoted by AP that in the past two months the Ozanam Center, an overnight shelter that can hold up to 250 people, has been handling up to 380 people a day.
"I've had a couple of people come by the gate and tell the security guard that the reason this happened was because of us," Mr Maldonado told KRGV-TV.
Officials in Brownsville issued a disaster declaration last month, following other Texas border cities that have done the same.
That's ahead of an anticipated influx of migrants due to the upcoming expiry of a Covid-era policy that allowed the US to automatically expel undocumented migrants.

Brownsville: Eight dead as car strikes people in Texas border town

The driver has been arrested and police say it is not yet clear if the incident was intentional.

www.bbc.co.uk

Seems to be deliberate, and sadly comes off the back of the mass shooting. Texas was so peaceful .

 

[VCheng]

Seems to be deliberate, and sadly comes off the back of the mass shooting. Texas was so peaceful .

What happens after Title 42 restrictions are lifted on Thursday is the real issue. This may just be a prelude.

 

[waz]

What happens after Title 42 restrictions are lifted on Thursday is the real issue. This may just be a prelude.

I hope not.

 

[VCheng]

I hope not.

Let us all hope so. And all of these sources of tensions can only get worse in the run up to the next national elections. It is likely going to be very bumpy for a while.

 

[waz]

Let us all hope so. And all of these sources of tensions can only get worse in the run up to the next national elections. It is likely going to be very bumpy for a while.

For a population of 30 million in a developed state this is terrible. I may be wrong but I think Americans are becoming desensitised to the violence.

 

[gambit]

I know this is not Texas, but if you see something like this...

Where would you want to live?

If Americans are becoming desensitized to violence, who are the major contributor(s)?

 

[villageidiot]

I know this is not Texas, but if you see something like this...

Where would you want to live?

If Americans are becoming desensitized to violence, who are the major contributor(s)?

Time to create another Liberia. Should have gone the whole way the first time but that's okay. No one gets it right the first time around.

 

[beijingwalker]

Brownsville: Eight dead as car strikes people in Texas border town​

May. 8 2023

Image source, Newsnation via CBS
By Kathryn Armstrong
BBC News

Eight people have been killed in the US state of Texas after a car struck a group at a bus stop close to a shelter for the homeless and migrants.

The incident happened in the city of Brownsville near the Mexican border at about 08:30 local time (14:30 GMT).

At least five other people have been injured, some of them critically.

The driver has been arrested and charged. Brownsville police say it is not clear whether the incident was intentional.

Earlier US media reports quoted police as saying it appeared to be a deliberate attack.
The director of the nearby Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, Victor Maldonado, told the BBC World Service's Newshour programme that surveillance footage showed an SUV running a red light and approaching the bus stop at speed.

The vehicle then hit the curb and flew about 200ft (60m) - hitting those in its path.

Mr Maldonado said that roughly half-an-hour before the incident, a group of around 20 people who had been staying at the centre left and walked over to wait at the bus stop. He earlier told the Associated Press that most of the victims were Venezuelan men.

Some had been intending to catch a local bus downtown to link up with other buses heading to different parts of the US, for which they already had tickets.

"All the staff and myself, we're trying to hold it together," Mr Maldonado said tearfully.
"A lot of the folks that we have here are mums with kids, and single males. Right in front of their eyes, they were witnessing a tragedy."

He added that he had not witnessed any hostility towards migrants in the city but is quoted telling KRGV-TV, a local media outlet, that people had come to the gate since the incident and told the security guard the reason it had happened "was because of us".

Following the incident, police said the driver was taken to hospital for treatment and underwent drug and alcohol tests. He is reported to have been uncooperative with the authorities.

According to US border protection officials, the city of Brownsville has recently seen a sharp increase in illegal migrant arrivals.

Mr Maldonado also told local media, quoted by AP, that in the past two months the Ozanam Center, an overnight shelter that can hold up to 250 people, has been handling up to 380 people a day.

Officials in Brownsville issued a disaster declaration last month, following other Texas border cities that have done the same.

That's ahead of an anticipated influx of migrants due to the upcoming expiry of a Covid-era policy that allowed the US to automatically expel undocumented migrants.

Brownsville: Eight dead as car strikes people in Texas border town

The driver has been arrested and police say it is not yet clear if the incident was intentional.

www.bbc.com

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Seven people have been killed in the US state of Texas after a car struck a group at a bus stop close to a shelter for the homeless and migrants.

The incident happened in the city of Brownsville near the Mexican border at about 08:30 local time (14:30 GMT).
At least six other people were been injured, some of them critically.
The driver has been arrested and charged. Brownsville police say it is not clear whether the incident was intentional.
Earlier US media reports quoted police as saying it appeared to be a deliberate attack.
The director of the nearby Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, Victor Maldonado, said surveillance footage showed an SUV that "ran the light that was about a hundred feet away and just went through the people who were sitting there in the bus stop".
He told the Associated Press that most of the victims were Venezuelan men.
Lieutenant Martin Sandoval of the Brownsville Police Department told local media that the driver had also been taken to hospital for treatment and was undergoing drug and alcohol tests.
According to US border protection officials, the city of Brownsville has recently seen a sharp increase in illegal migrant arrivals.
Mr Maldonado told local media quoted by AP that in the past two months the Ozanam Center, an overnight shelter that can hold up to 250 people, has been handling up to 380 people a day.
"I've had a couple of people come by the gate and tell the security guard that the reason this happened was because of us," Mr Maldonado told KRGV-TV.
Officials in Brownsville issued a disaster declaration last month, following other Texas border cities that have done the same.
That's ahead of an anticipated influx of migrants due to the upcoming expiry of a Covid-era policy that allowed the US to automatically expel undocumented migrants.

Brownsville: Eight dead as car strikes people in Texas border town

The driver has been arrested and police say it is not yet clear if the incident was intentional.

www.bbc.co.uk

Seems to be deliberate, and sadly comes off the back of the mass shooting. Texas was so peaceful .

George Alvarez charged with running over 18 migrants in Brownsville, Texas

Alvarez allegedly drove his car over a group of migrants, killing eight and injuring more than 10

nypost.com

The man who allegedly drove into a group of migrants outside a shelter in Brownsville, Texas, killing eight people and injuring more than 10, has been charged with manslaughter.

Cops identified George Alvarez, 34, as the driver and say he has a long rap sheet, including prior DUI and assault charges. They also said they are still investigating whether the act was deliberate.

During a press conference Monday, Chief Felix Sauceda said Alvarez ran a red light, lost control and hit a total of 18 people who were waiting for a bus outside a migrant shelter.

 

[Dalit]

George Alvarez charged with running over 18 migrants in Brownsville, Texas

Alvarez allegedly drove his car over a group of migrants, killing eight and injuring more than 10

nypost.com

The man who allegedly drove into a group of migrants outside a shelter in Brownsville, Texas, killing eight people and injuring more than 10, has been charged with manslaughter.

Cops identified George Alvarez, 34, as the driver and say he has a long rap sheet, including prior DUI and assault charges. They also said they are still investigating whether the act was deliberate.

During a press conference Monday, Chief Felix Sauceda said Alvarez ran a red light, lost control and hit a total of 18 people who were waiting for a bus outside a migrant shelter.

View attachment 928318

He is an American, isn't he?

 

[VCheng]

For a population of 30 million in a developed state this is terrible. I may be wrong but I think Americans are becoming desensitised to the violence.

It is very difficult to judge such US attitudes from afar or abroad, and not just geographically speaking.

 

[Titanium100]

I have seen the video posted here it was graphic this is mistreatment of the latino community

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

I have seen the video posted here it was graphic this is mistreatment of the latino community

Yeah, by another Latino.

 

[waz]

George Alvarez charged with running over 18 migrants in Brownsville, Texas

Alvarez allegedly drove his car over a group of migrants, killing eight and injuring more than 10

nypost.com

The man who allegedly drove into a group of migrants outside a shelter in Brownsville, Texas, killing eight people and injuring more than 10, has been charged with manslaughter.

Cops identified George Alvarez, 34, as the driver and say he has a long rap sheet, including prior DUI and assault charges. They also said they are still investigating whether the act was deliberate.

During a press conference Monday, Chief Felix Sauceda said Alvarez ran a red light, lost control and hit a total of 18 people who were waiting for a bus outside a migrant shelter.

View attachment 928318

Yes but it was deliberate right? It doesn’t have to be racial, this one seems to have a very long rap sheets.