Texas car attack — latest: George Alvarez had multiple drugs in his system at time of Brownsville crash
Police say they are still investigating whether crash at Brownsville migrant center was intentional
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The driver accused of killing eight people in a crash outside a Texas migrant shelter was found to have multiple drugs in his system, police say.
Suspect George Alvarez, 34, has been charged with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after Sunday morning’s incident.
An initial toxicology report found he had multiple drugs in his system following the crash: cocaine, benzodiazepines and marijuana.
The development comes after a witness to the crash claimed the driver made anti-immigrant remarks before he was detained by members of the public.
Police say they are still investigating whether the crash was intentional as well as the driver’s alleged remarks.
Earlier police revealed that Mr Alvarez has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple assault charges.
And shocking security camera footage shared by Texas congressman Henry Cuellar showed the moment a grey Ranger Rover smashed into the crowd outside of the city’s Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center.
The Venezuelan government has called for an investigation to determine if the crash was deliberate and motivated by hate or xenophobia, after it emerged that several of the victims were from Venezuela.
George Alvarez: Everything we know about driver in Brownsville crash that killed 8 migrants
Everything we know about the Brownsville, Texas crash that killed 8 people outside a migrant centre- George Alvarez identified as driver in Texas migrant shelter crash as death toll rises to eight
Two days, three attacks, 18 dead: Texas reels from horrifying weekend of violence
Greg Abbott shows off barbed wire fence in Brownsville – while ignoring migrant deaths
Governor Greg Abbott showed off a barbed wire fence in Brownsville on Monday night – while ignoring the deaths of eight migrants in a horror crash one day earlier.
“This is one thing Texas is doing to secure the border. This is the area near Brownsville where migrants were crossing in large numbers a few days ago. We now have it wired shut. Other areas will surface for crossing. We will wire them shut also. More to come,” he tweeted.
This comes after eight victims were killed when a man rammed into a crowd of migrants waiting at a bus stop outside a migrant shelter on Sunday.
Two days, three attacks, 18 dead: Texas reels from weekend of horror
The state of Texas — from the border with Mexico to the swanky suburbs north of Dallas — spent Monday reeling from unimaginable horror.
Traumatised shoppers were gathering in Allen to reclaim vehicles at the outlet mall where an active shooter on Saturday killed eight and injured seven.
Officers in Brownsville were preparing to update the public after a driver plowed into a group of migrants waiting at a bus stop, again killing eight and injuring at least 10 on Sunday morning.
And police in Dallas were holding a gunman who opened fire on a city light rail line on Sunday afternoon, killing one and injuring two.
The Independent’s Sheila Flynn reports on Texas’ horror weekend:
Two days, three attacks, 18 dead: Texas reels from horrifying weekend of violence
An active shooter attacked an outlet mall near Dallas on Saturday afternoon, killing eight before being shot dead himself by an Allen cop. The following morning, 570 miles south, a car plowed into a group of migrants waiting at a bus stop, killing eight more. Then, eight hours later, a dispute on a Dallas Dart train led to another deadly shooting. Sheila Flynn reports on Texas’ weekend of carnage
What are the charges?
Suspect George Alvarez, 34, has been charged with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after Sunday morning’s incident.
Officials announced the charges on Monday.
Further charges could be brought as investigators seek to determine whether or not the crash was intentional.
Man arrested for allegedly pointing gun at migrant centre near Brownsville crash site
A man was reportedly arrested after he was spotted pointing a gun at the Ozanam Centre in Brownsville, Texas. Eight people — many migrants — were killed just outside the centre’s gates over the weekend after George Alvarez, 34, allegedly hit them with his car.
On Monday, a driver reportedly approached the migrant centre’s gate with a gun and attempted to enter, prompting a lockdown. News Nation’s Ali Bradley was at the centre when it happened and spoke with witnesses who said they saw a man in a blue car with a gun try to ram the gates to the centre with his vehicle.
Police later arrested a man matching the description of the suspect. He was charged with marijuana possession. It is unclear if police found a weapon.
A Venezuelan migrant who survived the crash is worried for the future of his family
Telemundo’s Noticias gained access to one of the victims struck and injured during the Brownsville crash that left eight people dead and 10 seriously hurt.
Gabriel Gallardo spoke with Noticias from his hospital bed where he is recovering from the crash. His leg was severed after George Alvarez, the driver, allegedly ran into him and more than a dozen other men waiting for a bus in Brownsville.
Mr Gallardo said he set out for the US to try to build a future for his children, but now fears his “dreams are broken.”
‘’I came to look for a better future for my children and now it turns out that I have no legs. My dreams have all been broken,’’ he says in the interview.
How the coronavirus helped fuel the current tension in Brownsville
The end of a pandemic-era policy put in place by former President Donald Trump may be causing some of the tension in Brownsville as the city reels from both an influx of new migrants and the tragic deaths of eight people hit by a speeding car.
Migrants — many from Venezuela — have been crossing over into the city in recent weeks ahead of the anticipated end of Title 42, a pandemic-era policy allowing US law enforcement to interdict undocumented migrants and send them back to their home countries or back into Mexico, even if they weren’t originally from Mexico. The policy was implemented ostensibly to allow US authorities to quickly send away migrants in an effort to stop the potential spread of the coronavirus.
With Title 42 set to end on Thursday at midnight, immigration officials predict there will be a significant spike in border crossing attempts. They believe many who will try to cross are those left without shelter or money in Mexico after being snared by Title 42.
Many of the victims of the Brownsville crash are Venezuelan migrants. The FBI and local police are investigating claims that the driver, George Alvarez, had allegedly previously driven by the migrants and yelled invectives at them.
Another man reportedly threatened the migrant centre where the crash took place after he allegedly waved around a gun and tried to ram the gate with a car. That person has reportedly been arrested and charged with marijuana possession. It is unclear if more charges relating to the alleged threats are pending.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urged would-be migrants to stay home.
“You are being deceived, and you are risking your lives and your life savings, only to meet a consequence that you do not expect at our southern border,” he said. “The border is not open, it has not been open, and it will not be open subsequent to May 11.”
Mourners and activists gather at the site of Brownsville crash
A group of mourners and activists have gathered to demonstrate at the site of the Brownsville crash that left eight men dead and 10 others with serious injuries.
The men — including several migrants from Venezuela — were hit when George Alvarez, 34, allegedly ran a red light and drove through the group, who were waiting for a bus.
Venezuelan migrant who survived Brownsville crash describes split second decision that saved his life
Yohonny Miratriz, 38, was one of the men sitting and waiting for a bus when George Alvarez, 38, allegedly ran a red light and drove through the crowd, killing eight and seriously injuring 10 others.
Mr Miratriz spoke to the New York Times about the split second decision he made that likely saved his life.
“I had time to think, do I jump forward or backward?” Mr Miratriz said. “Which way would give me a better chance at survival?”
He dove forward, but felt the nose of the SUV clip his leg.
“At first it didn’t hurt. I was in shock, but then the pain came rushing.”
A close friend of his, Luis Matute, was killed in the crash. Another friend, Johan Quiroz, was rushed to the hospital for treatment, where he is still recovering.
What is Title 42 and why is it ending this week?
Border cities in Texas are bracing for an influx of migrants, as the Trump-era Covid policy Title 42 comes to an end this week.
The rule, which was rolled out in an apparent bid to prevent people from entering the country and spreading coronavirus, saw officials turn away more than 3 million people from the country’s southern border over the past three years.
Now, cities like El Paso have declared an emergency ahead of the Thursday expiration of the policy, while Texas’ Republican governor Greg Abbott said he was deploying soldiers to the border.
“With the ending of Title 42 on Thursday, President Biden is laying down the welcome mat to people across the entire world,” he told USA Today
READ MORE:
What is Title 42 and why is it ending this week?
The Trump-era Covid policy is set to end on Thursday
The wife of a man who lost his leg in Brownsville crash pleads with Joe Biden to let her reunite with her husband
The wife of one of the men injured in the Brownsville crash, Venezuelan migrant Gabriel Gallardo, has asked Joe Biden to allow her and her children to reunite north of the border.
Speaking from Columbia, Yuleissi Andreina, Gallardo’s wife, lamented her husband’s injury to Noticias Telemundo.
“My sons and I need to be with my husband — as well as his mother. We left Venezuela with a future and a dream for his children. That dream has been turned upside down. Please President Biden, we ask for your help please,” she said.
Mr Gallardo lost his leg when George Alvarez, 34, allegedly ran a red light and drove over several men, killing eight and seriously injuring 10 others.