Texas car crash – live: Driver George Alvarez yelled anti-migrant insults, says witness

A witness to the car crash that killed eight people outside a migrant shelter in Texas says the driver made anti-immigrant remarks before he was detained by members of the public.

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.

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, travelling along North Minnesota Avenue towards Boca Chica Boulevard, 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.

Key Points

• Death toll rises to eight from horror crash at Texas bus stop

• Driver ‘very uncooperative’ in hospital, police say

• Shocking video captures moments before fatal incident at Brownsville migrant shelter

• Injured man says driver insulted migrants and shouted: ‘You’re invading my property!'

• Driver behind crash named as George Alvarez

• Everything we know about the Brownsville, Texas crash that killed 8 people outside a migrant centre

ICYMI: Surge in arrivals from Venezuela prompted Brownsville to declare state of emergency

06:09 , Graig Graziosi

Brownsville has seen a surge in the number of Venezuelan migrants arriving over the last two weeks for unclear reasons, local authorities said in light of yesterday’s incident.

On Thursday, 4,000 of about 6,000 migrants in Border Patrol custody in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley were Venezuelan.

The surge prompted Brownsville commissioners to indefinitely extend a declaration of emergency during a special meeting held last week, as local, state and federal resources coordinated enforcement and humanitarian response.

“We don’t want them wandering around outside,” Pedro Cardenas, a city commissioner, said in the wake of Sunday’s deadly crash. “So, we’re trying to make sure they’re as comfortable as they can be so they don’t have to go out and look for anywhere else.”

Brownsville has long been an epicentre for migration across the US-Mexico border and it has become a key location of interest for next week’s end to pandemic-era border restrictions known as Title 42. The Ozanam shelter is the only overnight shelter in the city and manages the release of thousands of migrants from federal custody.

‘Victim was headed to New York to start new life’

06:06 , Namita Singh

Angel Carvacas, one of the victims killed in the Brownsville car crash, was on his way to reunite with his mother when the SUV ploughed through him.

“I saw him on the ground, it was as if the world fell apart,” his cousin, Silbio, told CBS News. The two of them were headed to New York to start their new lives in the country, he told the outlet.

“He looked out a lot for his family,” Silbio said. “He worried a lot for his family.”

‘How did I survive? I think only god knows’

05:53 , Namita Singh

Yohonny Miratriz was walking with his friend near the shelter, when he saw the SUV skidding towards him.“I had time to think, do I jump forward or backward?” he told the New York Times.

“Which way would give me a better chance at survival?”

Mr Miratriz, who made it through the rough terrain while on his way from Venezuela to Texas border, says he decided to dive head first before the truck hit his left leg.

“At first it didn’t hurt. I was in shock, but then the pain came rushing,” he told the outlet. “How did I survive? I think only God knows.”Mr Miratriz shared that he lost his friend Luis Matute to the crash, while another friend Johan Quiroz was severely injured.

‘Driver yelled anti-immigration insults’, claims witness

05:35 , Namita Singh

Michael Eduardo de Aponte Fonseca, an eyewitness, has claimed that crash driver George Alvarez yelled anti-immigration insults at the group.

“I saw what happened around me, and I didn’t want to see more,” he told the New York Times.

“I grabbed my things, and scared and in shock I crossed the street.”Most of the victims stay in Brownsville to “do odd jobs and get a little money so they can move on,” Mr Fonseca said. But, “some of those folks tonight will not reach their destination.”

Meanwhile, police were also looking into reports that he had uttered anti-immigration remarks.

Criminal history of George Alvarez

05:32 , Namita Singh

George Alvarez has a lengthy criminal history, police said during a press conference on Monday.

His past charges include numerous assault charges, an aggravated assault charge, and additional charges for burglary, theft, DUI, and resisting arrest.

He is currently being held on a $3.6m bond, according to CNN.

Mr Alvarez allegedly attempted to flee the scene of the incident after he struck the victims and rolled his jeep.

Bystanders reportedly stopped Mr Alvarez and kept him detained until police arrived. He was then taken into police custody and then to an area hospital to be treated for injuries he sustained in the wreck.

Police said Mr Alvarez was being “very uncooperative” with them during their initial investigation.

Everything we know about driver in Brownsville crash that killed eight migrants

05:15 , Namita Singh

Police in Brownsville, Texas, have identified the driver who crashed his SUV into a group of people waiting for a bus outside a migrant centre, killing eight and seriously injuring 10 others.

Since the wreck, police and the FBI have been investigating the cause of the crash, including whether or not the incident was intentional.

The government of Venezuela, noting that several of the victims were migrants from the country, has called for a thorough investigation into the driver’s motives.

Here’s everything we know about the Brownsville driver:

Vigil for victims at Texas State Capitol

05:08 , Namita Singh

A vigil was held at the Texas State Capitol on Monday night in honour of those killed after an SUV ploughed into them in Brownsville. At least eight were killed and 10 injured in the incident.

Meanwhile, NGOs advocating for migrant rights sought justice for the victims.

“We grieve for the victims in Brownsville, Texas who were run over outside a migrant shelter where people from around the world are seeking asylum and safety,” Oni Blair, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas, was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

“We understand the motive is still under investigation,” she said as she urged the authorities to ensure that witnesses feel safe enough to give their account without fear of retribution or deportation.

“This horrific event comes after weeks of escalating anti-immigrant policy-making by Texas politicians and while the Biden administration considers imposing a new asylum ban aimed at deterring, rather than welcoming, migrants seeking protection,” she told the outlet.

Catholic Charities director: ‘Migrants don’t service this tragic reality’

04:55 , Graig Graziosi

Sister Norma Pimentel, the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, said the Ozanam Center in Brownsville typically houses some migrants overnight and had received no direct threats in connection with the border crisis in recent weeks.

Sister Pimentel said it was “truly unfortunate that this tragic thing happened,” according to NBC.

“It’s something that, with all the attention to the migrants, it must pick up the attention to those who are against them.”

Migrants “don’t deserve to face this tragic reality,” she added.

Venezuela calls for hate crime investigation

04:47 , Namita Singh

The Venezuelan government called for an investigation to determine if the incident was motivated by hate or xenophobia after it emerged that the victims were all male and several of them from Venezuela.

The local police have so far not ruled out the possibility of the crash being intentional, said officials, adding they are awaiting toxicology reports to determine whether driver George Alvarez was intoxicated as he drove into a group waiting at a bus stop in Brownsville.

Brownsville, a city of some 165,000 people on the US border with Mexico, and other communities are bracing for a likely surge in migrants when a Covid-19 restriction known as Title 42 is set to end on Thursday.

Title 42, in place since 2020, allows US authorities to quickly expel migrants caught crossing the border illegally, without giving them the chance to seek US asylum.

Driver George Alvarez’s charged with manslaughter

04:15 , Namita Singh

An SUV driver who killed eight people when he slammed into a group waiting at a bus stop in Brownsville, Texas, was charged with manslaughter, police said on Monday as investigators tried to determine if the crash was intentional.

Authorities believe driver George Alvarez, 34, of Brownsville, lost control after running a red light on Sunday morning, and ploughed into a crowd outside a migrant centre in the city, which has long been an epicentre for migration across the US-Mexico border.

Police Chief Felix Sauceda said Mr Alvarez was charged with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

‘We’ll see each other in a bit’: Victims’ friend shares last conversation he had with them

04:12 , Namita Singh

On Monday morning, Jackson Duarte, 30, a Venezuelan migrant, was sporting a haircut from a friend he made at the Ozanam shelter, where they were both staying.

It was the last haircut he’d receive from him.

Mr Duarte said three people he met at the shelter were among the victims; two of them died while a third is in the hospital with a missing limb. He said one of his friends who was killed was a barber, and the other was a young man who had recently celebrated a birthday.

Shortly before the crash, Mr Duarte had decided to share an Uber with a friend rather than wait for the bus downtown. It was during that ride that Mr Duarte began receiving messages about the fatal accident through WhatsApp.

“When I got there, the survivors had already been taken. I counted about seven people who had died,” he recalled.Mr Duarte said his friend, whom he described as a studious and ambitious young man, was going downtown to reunite with his mother after crossing the border. Only Mr Duarte made it to the bus station.

“Unfortunately, I had to share that with his mom,” he said. “She was desperate, because her son had just turned 18 years old and they had gone through so much trying to get here just so that he’d lose his life here.”

His other friend, the barber, was also heading downtown to look for a cellphone after raising money by offering haircuts, he had told Mr Duarte.

Mr Duarte said his friend told him “We’ll see each other in a bit,” and that it was one of the last things his friend said to him.

“It hit me really hard. I still feel bad. I don’t believe it. I don’t feel well. I couldn’t sleep all night,” Mr Duarte said, breaking down as he thought about his friends who lost their lives.

Police awaits driver’s toxicology report

04:10 , Namita Singh

Officials are awaiting toxicology reports to determine whether driver George Alvarez was intoxicated as he drove into a group waiting at a bus stop in Brownsville, Police Chief Felix Sauceda said, adding that there was no motive that he could discuss.

Asked about reports from witnesses that the accused was cursing at them, Mr Sauceda said there was nothing to confirm that yet.

The SUV ran a red light, lost control, flipped on its side and hit 18 people, Mr Sauceda told reporters Monday morning. Six people died on the scene and 12 people were critically injured, he said. Officials have said the death toll rose later.

Mr Alvarez tried to flee, but was held down by several people on the scene, he said. His bail was set at $3.6m.

First responders joined Sunday night prayer vigil after car crash tragedy

03:48 , Graig Graziosi

The aforementioned Bishop Flores said Mass at the Ozanam migrant shelter last night for the victims of yesterday’s horrific road smash.

“Many first responders attended the Mass,” he states. “Pray for them also, for the burden they carry is great.”

Ozanam resident describes near miss with danger

03:00 , Io Dodds

A resident of the Ozanam migrant shelter has described his near miss with catastrophe after making a last-minute decision to take an Uber instead of a bus.

Jackson Duarte, 30, from Venezuela, told the Associated Press that he might have been one of the migrants waiting for transport outside the shelter had he not decided to share a taxi with a friend.

While in the car, he said, they began getting WhatsApp messages about the tragedy. Two of his friends at the shelter were killed, and the second is in hospital with a missing limb.

One of the dead was young man who had recently celebrated his birthday. The other was a barber who had recently cut Mr Duarte's hair, and who was heading downtown to reunite with his mother after crossing the US border.

"Unfortunately, I had to share that with his mom," Mr Duarte said. "She was desperate, because her son had just turned 18 years old and they had gone through so much trying to get here just so that he’d lose his life here...

"It hit me really hard. I still feel bad. I don’t believe it. I don’t feel well. I couldn’t sleep all night," Duarte said, breaking down as he thought about his friends who lost their lives.

Brownsville bishop: ‘We must resist the corrosive tendency to devalue the lives of immigrants’

01:59 , Graig Graziosi

Bishop Daniel Flores of the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville has issued the following pointed statement on Sunday’s tragedy.

“As we await a fuller report from law enforcement authorities, let us stop for a moment to mourn these losses of life and to pray. Pray for the victims, pray for the families and loved ones, and pray for our community,” Bishop Flores said.

“We must resist the corrosive tendency to devalue the lives of immigrants, the poor, and the vulnerable. Let us take extra steps as a local community to care for and protect one another, especially the most vulnerable.”

George Alvarez: Everything we know

01:10 , Io Dodds

What do we know so far about the alleged driver George Alvarez?

The 34-year-old, described by police as "very uncooperative", reportedly has a lengthy criminal history – including assault, burglary, driving under the influence, and resisting arrest.

Police have not ruled out the possibility that this was deliberate attack, and are investigating claims that the driver was hurling invective at migrants just before the crash.

My colleague Graig Graziosi explains more here.

George Alvarez: Everything we know about driver in Brownsville crash that killed 8

How Texas’s weekend of violence unfolded

Tuesday 9 May 2023 00:07 , Io Dodds

The state of Texas, from the border with Mexico to the swanky suburbs north of Dallas, has spent today reeling from unimaginable horror.

In three separate incidents over two days, 18 people were killed:

• Eight by a shooter in Dallas on Saturday afternoon, plus the gunman himself

• Eight more by the SUV that drove into a crowd yesterday morning

• One more in a shooting on Dallas's DART metro line yesterday afternoon

In a new feature, my colleague Sheila Flynn explains how this weekend of violence unfolded and how it has affected Texans. You can read her full story here.

Two days, three attacks, 18 dead: Texas reels from horrifying weekend of violence

Shocking video captures moments before car rammed into migrants outside Brownsville shelter

Monday 8 May 2023 23:00 , Graig Graziosi

Shelter director describes horror crash

Monday 8 May 2023 22:00 , Graig Graziosi

The director of the migrant shelter where the crash unfolded has spoken out about the horror scene.

Victor Maldonado, the director of the Ozanam Center, told CNN that there was about 20 to 25 migrants outside the centre waiting for a bus.

He said the migrants were from Venezuala and had come to the shelter about two or three days earlier.

Security footage from the shelter captured what happened next.

The SUV sped quickly along the road, crashing into the group.

Mr Maldonado said he and a staff member ran outside and came across the horrific scene with victims’ body parts strewn around.

He said that they are both still “in shock” from what they saw.

Everything we know about the Brownsville, Texas crash that killed 8 people outside a migrant centre

Monday 8 May 2023 20:16 , Graig Graziosi

Eight people were killed and 10 others injured after a driver in Brownsville, Texas, plowed his SUV into a group pedestrians waiting for a bus.

Many of the individuals hit by the SUV were migrants who had just left a nearby migrant centre, according to Brownsville police.

The crash comes at a time when Texans are still recovering from another shocking tragedy involving public violence — a mass shooting at an outlet mall in Allen — and just weeks after Brownsville issued a state of emergency due to an influx of Venezuelan migrants to the region.

Here’s everything we know about the crash:

Everything we know about the Brownsville, Texas crash that killed 8 people

Driver in Brownsville wreck held on $3.6m bond

Monday 8 May 2023 19:25 , Graig Graziosi

George Alvarez, 34, the man identified by police as the driver of a grey SUV that slammed into migrants in Brownsville, Texas, is reportedly being held on a $3.6m bond, according to the city’s police chief, Felix Sauceda.

The wreck left eight people — many Venezuelan migrants — dead and 10 others seriously injured.

Mr Alvarez has been charged with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Venezuela calls on US law enforcement to fully investigate the cause of the fatal Brownsville crash

Monday 8 May 2023 18:37 , Graig Graziosi

The Venezuelan government issued a statement calling on US authorities to fully investigate the cause of the crash that left 8 people — many Venezuelan migrants — dead and 10 others injured.

Caracas has asked for police to thorougly investigate “in order to rule out any intentions related to hate and xenophobic practices against Venezuelan people ... a product of a culture of violence and intolerance promoted by extremist sectors of US politics and society.”

FBI pictured at the scene of Brownsville crash

Monday 8 May 2023 17:25 , Joe Sommerlad

With the investigation still ongoing and the local police department leaving many questions unanswered after that brief press conference, here is a short clip of federal agents visiting the scene on Sunday.

George Alvarez pictured in police mugshot

Monday 8 May 2023 16:55 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s a picture of the suspect in Sunday’s deadly car crash, courtesy of the Brownsville PD.

Driver behind crash named as George Alvarez

Monday 8 May 2023 16:43 , Joe Sommerlad

Brownsville police chief Felix Sauceda names the suspect in the case as Brownsville resident George Alvarez, 34, whom he says has an extensive cirminal record.

He says the department is still awaiting toxicology results from the suspect and that it is too soon to determine a motive, telling one reporter that investigators have not yet definitively ruled whether the episode was an accident or intentional.

He adds that the victims are all male and that the investigation remains ongoing before swiftly departing, answering only a handful of questions from the press.

My colleague Graig Graziosi has this report on the latest developments.

George Alvarez identified as driver in Texas migrant shelter crash

Brownsville police to give press conference

Monday 8 May 2023 16:20 , Joe Sommerlad

The local police department in Texas are due to give an update in around 10 minutes’ time, livestreaming on Facebook.

Recap: Shocking video captures moment before car rammed into migrants

Monday 8 May 2023 15:50 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s the latest on the security camera footage of the incident, of which we are only able to share an abridged version for reasons of sensitivity.

Shocking video captures moment before car rammed into migrants in Brownsville

Ozanam Center director: ‘People have come by the gate to say the reason this happened is because of us’

Monday 8 May 2023 15:20 , Joe Sommerlad

Despite the tensions surrounding the influx of Venezuelan migrants and the subsequent declaration of emergency, Sister Norma Pimentel, the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, said the Ozanam shelter had not received any direct threats prior to Sunday’s events.

Victor Maldonado, the center’s director, likewise said there had been no prior threats – but there have been since.

“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,” he told the AP.

Surge in arrivals from Venezuela prompted Brownsville to declare state of emergency

Monday 8 May 2023 14:50 , Joe Sommerlad

Brownsville has seen a surge in the number of Venezuelan migrants arriving over the last two weeks for unclear reasons, local authorities said in light of yesterday’s incident.

On Thursday, 4,000 of about 6,000 migrants in Border Patrol custody in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley were Venezuelan.

The surge prompted Brownsville commissioners to indefinitely extend a declaration of emergency during a special meeting held last week, as local, state and federal resources coordinated enforcement and humanitarian response.

“We don’t want them wandering around outside,” Pedro Cardenas, a city commissioner, said in the wake of Sunday’s deadly crash. “So, we’re trying to make sure they’re as comfortable as they can be so they don’t have to go out and look for anywhere else.”

Brownsville has long been an epicentre for migration across the US-Mexico border and it has become a key location of interest for next week’s end to pandemic-era border restrictions known as Title 42. The Ozanam shelter is the only overnight shelter in the city and manages the release of thousands of migrants from federal custody.

About 2,500 migrants have crossed through the Rio Grande river daily into Brownsville in the past few days, Mr Cardenas said.

He added that Border Patrol is aware of the city’s capacity of 1,000 at their processing area near the crossing point and a downtown building where city employees and volunteers guide migrants on how to purchase bus or plane tickets to their final destinations. The city is considering expanding those services to accommodate needs in the coming days, Mr Cardenas said.

While 80 per cent of people released from federal custody typically leave the same day, the city’s emergency management official said, a bottleneck has formed over the past few days.

“Most of the people coming across don’t want to stay in Brownsville, but we don’t have enough buses for them to buy their ticket to leave,” Mr Cardenas said. “Some are waiting for family members.”

The Ozanam shelter itself can hold 250 people.

“In the last two months, we’ve been getting 250 to 380 a day,” its director Victor Maldonado said.

While the shelter offers migrants transportation during the week, they also use the city’s public transportation.

Rochelle Garza, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, said in a statement shared on Sunday afternoon: “I hope that today serves as a wake up call, and that state officials will begin investing in a humanitarian response that might have helped the people who were impacted by this morning’s tragedy.”

US representative Vicente Gonzalez said that local officials are in communication with the federal government about the crash.

“We are all extremely sad and heartbroken to have such a tragedy in our neighbourhood,” he said.

AP

First responders joined Sunday night prayer vigil after car crash tragedy

Monday 8 May 2023 14:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The aforementioned Bishop Flores said Mass at the Ozanam migrant shelter last night for the victims of yesterday’s horrific road smash.

“Many first responders attended the Mass,” he states. “Pray for them also, for the burden they carry is great.”

Police questioning driver after eight killed and nine injured in bus stop crash

Monday 8 May 2023 14:00 , Joe Sommerlad

As we await further updates on this story, here’s a look back at my colleague Graeme Massie’s orginal report on the tragedy.

Seven dead after being run over in front of Brownsville Texas migrant shelter

Man injured in crash says driver insulted migrants and shouted: ‘You’re invading my property!'

Monday 8 May 2023 13:30 , Joe Sommerlad

While local police have insisted so far that they have yet to establish whether the driver’s actions were intentional or accidental, comments made by one man at the scene cast doubt on that position.

Luis Herrera, 33, who was hit by the SUV on Sunday and suffered a broken arm in the incident, claimed the driver was taunting the migrants before the crash took place.

“He crossed the street and he hit the gas and he drove by my legs, and hurt my arm. The others, he killed almost all of them,” The Washington Post quotes him as saying.

The Post also reports that Mr Herrera recalls the driver yelling: “You’re invading my property!”

Driver ‘very uncooperative at the hospital’ say police

Monday 8 May 2023 13:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The suspect accused of ramming his car into a crowd in Brownsville was taken to the hospital for injuries sustained when the car rolled over, police have said, adding that he was “being very uncooperative at the hospital”.

“But he will be transported to our city jail as soon as he gets released,” they added. “Then we’ll fingerprint him and [take a] mug shot, and then we can find his true identity. Police retrieved a blood sample and sent it to a Texas Department of Public Safety lab to test for intoxicants.”

Brownsville investigator Lt Martin Sandoval said there are three possible explanations for the collision: “It could be intoxication; it could be an accident; or it could be intentional. In order for us to find out exactly what happened, we have to eliminate the other two.”

Catholic Charities director: ‘Migrants don’t service this tragic reality'

Monday 8 May 2023 12:40 , Joe Sommerlad

Sister Norma Pimentel, the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, said the Ozanam Center in Brownsville typically houses some migrants overnight and had received no direct threats in connection with the border crisis in recent weeks.

Sister Pimentel said it was “truly unfortunate that this tragic thing happened,” according to NBC.

“It’s something that, with all the attention to the migrants, it must pick up the attention to those who are against them.”

Migrants “don’t deserve to face this tragic reality,” she added.

Brownsville bishop: ‘We must resist the corrosive tendency to devalue the lives of immigrants'

Monday 8 May 2023 12:20 , Joe Sommerlad

Bishop Daniel Flores of the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville has issued the following pointed statement on Sunday’s tragedy.

“As we await a fuller report from law enforcement authorities, let us stop for a moment to mourn these losses of life and to pray. Pray for the victims, pray for the families and loved ones, and pray for our community,” Bishop Flores said.

“We must resist the corrosive tendency to devalue the lives of immigrants, the poor, and the vulnerable. Let us take extra steps as a local community to care for and protect one another, especially the most vulnerable.”

Brownville mayor Trey Mendez posts update

Monday 8 May 2023 12:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The city’s mayor has posted this update on Facebook, noting the increased death toll, reporting the lack of information from the driver and promising a police press conference later today.

He also thanks emergency service personnel for their response and expresses his condolences to the shelter staff reeling from the tragedy.

Recap: What we know so far

Monday 8 May 2023 11:40 , Joe Sommerlad

If you’re just joining us, this is what we know so far about Sunday’s shocking incident near a migrant shelter in the Texas border city of Brownsville.

• A grey Range Rover SUV slammed into a crowd of people waiting for a bus outside of a migrant shelter known as the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center in Brownsville at approximately 8.30am on Sunday morning.

• Eight people died in the incident and another nine were hospitalised, the victims largely composed of Venezuelan men said to be returning to downtown Brownsville after spending the night at the shelter.

• The driver, an unnamed Hispanic male, was reportedly detained at the scene by bystanders and is also now in hospital and has been charged with reckless driving. He has been described by police as “very uncooperative”.

• They are seeking to establish whether his actions were accidental or intentional and are working to determine whether he was intoxicated by alcohol or drugs at the time.

• One witness told local media: “We were going to the airport and it happened unexpectedly because a woman in a car passed by and advised us to separate and moments later the killer was coming in the car gesturing and insulting us.”

Shocking video captures moments before car rammed into migrants outside Brownsville shelter

Monday 8 May 2023 11:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Be warned, some viewers may find this security camera footage taken at the scene distressing.

Shelter director describes horror crash

Monday 8 May 2023 10:25 , Rachel Sharp

The director of the migrant shelter where the crash unfolded has spoken out about the horror scene.

Victor Maldonado, the director of the Ozanam Center, told CNN that there was about 20 to 25 migrants outside the centre waiting for a bus.

He said the migrants were from Venezuala and had come to the shelter about two or three days earlier.

Security footage from the shelter captured what happened next.

The SUV sped quickly along the road, crashing into the group.

Mr Maldonado said he and a staff member ran outside and came across the horrific scene with victims’ body parts strewn around.

He said that they are both still “in shock” from what they saw.

Investigation continues into Brownsville crash

Monday 8 May 2023 10:00 , Namita Singh

An SUV slammed into a crowd of people waiting for a bus Sunday outside a migrant shelter in the border city of Brownsville, Texas, killing at least seven people and injuring at least 10, police said as they prepared to arrest the hospitalized driver.

With no bench at the unmarked city bus stop, some of the victims were sitting on the curb around 8.30am when the driver hit them, surveillance video from the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center showed. Brownsville police investigator Martin Sandoval said police did not know whether the collision was intentional.

Shelter director Victor Maldonado said the SUV ran up the curb, flipped and continued moving for about 200ft. Some people walking on the sidewalk about 30ft from the main group were also hit, Mr Maldonado said. Witnesses detained the driver as he tried to run away and held him until police arrived, he said.

“This SUV, a Range Rover, just ran the light that was about 100ft away and just went through the people who were sitting there in the bus stop,” said Mr Maldonado, who reviewed the shelter’s surveillance video.

Victims struck by the vehicle were waiting for the bus to return to downtown Brownsville after having spent the night at the overnight shelter, said Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valle.

Death toll climbs to eight from horror crash

Monday 8 May 2023 09:40 , Rachel Sharp

The death toll from the horror crash outside a migrant shelter in Brownsville, Texas, has now climbed to eight.

Seven people were found dead at the scene and 10 others were rushed to hospitals.

Later on Sunday, an eighth victim succumbed to their injuries in hospital, officials said.

Video: Pedestrians hurt after driver ploughs into crowd near Texas migrant shelter

Monday 8 May 2023 09:00 , Namita Singh

Here’s a local news report on this developing story.

Injured victim describes Brownsville crash

Monday 8 May 2023 08:00 , Namita Singh

One injured victim told Valley Central that the group of men were sitting on the curb near the bus stop when a grey Range Rover slammed into them.

Luis Herrera told the news channel that he and his friends, a number of whom were killed, were waiting to go to the airport when they were struck by the vehicle.

“We were going to the airport and it happened unexpectedly because a woman in a car passed by and advised us to separate and moments later the killer was coming in the car gesturing and insulting us,” Mr Herrera said.

Most victims struck by SUV were Venezuelan, say police

Monday 8 May 2023 07:30 , Namita Singh

Most of the victims struck by the vehicle were Venezuelan men, said shelter director Victor Maldonado. Brownsville has seen a surge of Venezuelan migrants over the last two weeks for unclear reasons, authorities claimed.

On Thursday, 4,000 of about 6,000 migrants in Border Patrol custody in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley were Venezuelan.

Police have so far not attributed the motive to the incident, adding that they are probing if it was intentional or accidental.

Death toll rises to eight

Monday 8 May 2023 07:12 , Namita Singh

The death toll has risen to eight in the incident of an SUV slamming into a crowd of people waiting for a bus on Sunday outside a migrant shelter in the border city of Brownsville, Texas.

At least 10 others were injured, police said, as they prepared to arrest the hospitalised driver.

Police shut down road as seven killed after being run over in Texas

Monday 8 May 2023 07:00 , Namita Singh

Driver ‘very uncooperative at the hospital’ say police

Monday 8 May 2023 07:14 , Namita Singh

The suspect who allegedly rammed his car into a crowd at a Texas border town was taken to the hospital for injuries sustained when the car rolled over, said police, adding that he was “being very uncooperative at the hospital”.

“But he will be transported to our city jail as soon as he gets released,” said the police. “Then we’ll fingerprint him and (take a) mug shot, and then we can find his true identity.

”Police retrieved a blood sample and sent it to a Texas Department of Public Safety lab to test for intoxicants.

Brownsville police investigator Martin Sandoval said there are three possible explanations for the collision: “It could be intoxication; it could be an accident; or it could be intentional. In order for us to find out exactly what happened, we have to eliminate the other two.”

SUV driver hits crowd at Texas bus stop near border; 7 dead

Monday 8 May 2023 06:30 , Namita Singh

An SUV slammed into a crowd of people waiting for a bus Sunday outside a migrant shelter in the border city of Brownsville, Texas, killing at least seven people and injuring at least 10, police said as they prepared to arrest the hospitalized driver.

With no bench at the unmarked city bus stop, some of the victims were sitting on the curb around 8.30am when the driver hit them, surveillance video from the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center showed. Brownsville police investigator Martin Sandoval said police did not know whether the collision was intentional.

Shelter director Victor Maldonado said the SUV ran up the curb, flipped and continued moving for about 200ft. Some people walking on the sidewalk about 30ft from the main group were also hit, Mr Maldonado said. Witnesses detained the driver as he tried to run away and held him until police arrived, he said.

“This SUV, a Range Rover, just ran the light that was about 100ft away and just went through the people who were sitting there in the bus stop,” said Mr Maldonado, who reviewed the shelter’s surveillance video.

Victims struck by the vehicle were waiting for the bus to return to downtown Brownsville after having spent the night at the overnight shelter, said Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.

Pictures from scene of crash in Brownsville

Monday 8 May 2023 06:00 , Namita Singh

Images from scene of fatal Texas crash

Monday 8 May 2023 05:00 , Namita Singh

Mayorkis briefed on Brownsville deaths

Monday 8 May 2023 04:04 , Graeme Massie

Seven dead after being deliberately run over in front of Texas migrant shelter, say police

Monday 8 May 2023 02:02 , Graeme Massie

Accident involving Range Rover took place outside city’s Ozanam Center say police.

Seven dead after being deliberately run over in front of Texas migrant shelter

7 dead, at least 6 injured after driver plows into Brownsville crowd near migrant shelter

Sunday 7 May 2023 22:53 , Graeme Massie

Officials say 7 dead at scene and 12 wounded taken to hospitals

Sunday 7 May 2023 19:18 , Graeme Massie

“7 individuals have been pronounced dead at the scene and 11 transported to local hospitals. 1 individual was airlifted to Valley Baptist Harlingen. The area is still closed to traffic,” stated Brownsville Fire Department on Facebook.

Some migrants among dead, say police

Sunday 7 May 2023 18:54 , Graeme Massie

Some migrants were killed in the incident, Lt Sandoval told Fox News.

“We are doing an investigation in forms of intoxication to see if he was intoxicated at the time of the accident,” said Lt Sandoval.

Seven dead outside migrant shelter in Brownsville, Texas

Sunday 7 May 2023 18:17 , Graeme Massie

This is a live blog covering a car accident in Brownsville, Texas, that left seven people dead outside a migrant shelter.