Police officers inspecting the SUV involved in a tragic incident resulting in the death of eight migrants in Brownsville, Texas, on Sunday, May 7. Photo: CNN.
This Sunday, a man ran over a group of migrants, mostly Venezuelans, waiting at a bus stop in Brownsville, Texas, United States. The incident caused the deaths of eight people and left 11 injured. The victims’ identities have not been disclosed by authorities.
In the early morning of Sunday, May 7, a Range Rover SUV driving at high speed plowed into a group of at least 30 people waiting at a bus stop in front of the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center homeless shelter.
The vehicle drove onto the sidewalk, where most of the victims were seated waiting for the bus, and continued for about 60 meters, running over several people who were walking about 10 meters from the bus stop. Initially, seven migrants were reported dead, but later one of the injured died at a local hospital.
According to media reports, the driver had recently left the nearby Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, a homeless shelter that also provides shelter and assistance to migrants.
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Videos of the moment of the accident spread on social media, some of which show the migrants lying on the ground. Some were injured, while others attended to them.
The driver, identified as 34-year-old George Alvarez, attempted to flee the scene but was apprehended by passersby. He was later taken to hospital due to injuries he sustained after the vehicle flipped. On Monday morning, Brownsville police said he had been charged with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Alvarez may be charged with further offenses if evidence is gathered to prove the incident was premeditated. According to the police, the suspect was uncooperative with the investigation and did not provide his ID, leading authorities to take his fingerprints to find his identity.
“Brownsville police have never taken the position that this was an intentional act, but it is a factor that we have to look at,” the police said.
#Comunicado | Venezuela exhorta a EE.UU. a investigar a profundidad trágico arrollamiento de migrantes en Texas (+Detalles) 👇https://t.co/MYulr0mtRv#VamosALaDefensaDeCitgo pic.twitter.com/OUWhkGlS6p
— Cancillería Venezuela 🇻🇪 (@CancilleriaVE) May 8, 2023
Venezuela demands that the US thoroughly investigate the attack on migrants
Through a press release, the Venezuelan government demanded that US authorities investigate the events in depth and clarify their causes.
“Venezuela urges the relevant US authorities to thoroughly investigate the events and clarify their causes in order to rule out any intentions related to hate and xenophobia against the Venezuelan people that have been expressed in the past, a product of a culture of violence and intolerance promoted by extremist sectors of American politics and society,” reads the statement.
Venezuelan authorities lamented the tragic incident and extended their sincere condolences to relatives and close friends of the victims. Below is the full unofficial translation of the communique:
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The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela expresses its deepest sorrow for the tragic event that occurred in the border city of Brownsville, Texas, in the United States of America, where the driver of a vehicle ran over a group of migrants, leaving the painful result of at least seven people dead and multiple injuries, some of Venezuelan nationality, according to preliminary reports.
In light of this painful episode and the loss of life of fellow Venezuelans, Venezuela urges the relevant US authorities to thoroughly investigate the events and clarify their causes in order to rule out any intentions related to hate and xenophobia against the Venezuelan people that have been expressed in the past, a product of a culture of violence and intolerance promoted by extremist sectors of US politics and society.
The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela extends its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
Caracas, May 7, 2023
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
