The number of victims of the hit-and-run at a bus stop near an immigrant shelter in Brownsville, Texas, rose to eight after one of the injured died at the hospital, authorities said.
The incident occurred on Saturday, when a car ran over a group of people who were waiting at a bus stop in front of the Obispo Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, which had become a reception center due to the passage of hundreds of immigrants through the area.
According to Martin Sandoval of the Brownsville Police, seven Venezuelan immigrants were initially killed in the incident and another 10 people who were seriously injured were taken to the hospital, but one of them died.
The perpetrator of the hit-and-run was detained by several witnesses until police arrived, authorities said, without specifying his nationality.
Sandoval indicated, in a press conference, that the detainee does not collaborate with the authorities, so it is unknown if the attack was intentional or accidental.
The official added that the authorities took a blood sample and requested a toxicological test to determine if the author of the hit-and-run used drugs or drank alcohol.
“Brownsville police have never taken the position that it was an intentional act, but it is a factor that we have to take into account,” Sandoval admitted.
The head of the Centro Obispo Enrique San Pedro Ozanam, Víctor Maldonado, pointed out that the victims were Venezuelan men and that, at the time of the events, between 20 and 25 migrants were sitting on the sidewalk waiting for the bus, on the other side of the street. from the shelter
Maldonado indicated that the migrants came from Venezuela and arrived at the shelter two or three days ago.
The person in charge viewed the shelter’s surveillance video after receiving a phone call reporting the hit-and-run.
“What we see in the video is that a car passed a traffic light that was about 30 meters away and ran over people who were sitting at the bus stop,” said Maldonado.
The outlet indicated that the Centro Obispo Enrique San Pedro Ozanam shelter is the only one that operates at night in the city of Brownsville and manages the release of thousands of migrants in federal custody.
Source: TSF
