Brownsville crash – latest: Texas 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 behind crash named as George Alvarez

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

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

• Venezuela calls for hate crime investigation

George Alvarez’s long rap sheet revealed

17:32 , Megan Sheets

At a press conference announcing the arrest of George Alvarez on Tuesday, police revealed the 34-year-old was well known to law enforcement with a lengthy rap sheet.

His previous arrests include:

• 2 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon

• 1 count of assault against elderly or disabled

• 4 counts of assault causing bodily injury to a family member

• 1 count of assault of a public servant

• 2 counts of burglary of a vehicle

• 1 count of assault causing bodily injury

• 2 counts of criminal mischief

• 1 count of driving while intoxicated

• 1 count of evading arrest/detention

• 1 count of interference with public duties

• 1 count of obstruction or retaliation

• 1 count of possession of marijuana

• 3 counts of resisting arrest, search or transport

• 1 count of theft of property

George Alvarez had drugs in his system, police say

15:37 , Megan Sheets

Police on Tuesday revealed that George Alvarez had an alarming cocktail of drugs in his system when he crashed into a crowd in front of a migrant shelter in Brownsville.

An initial toxicology report showed cocaine, benzodiazepines and marijuana in his bloodstream.

The levels of each drug will be determined via a second blood sample.

The final toxicology report will be provided to the Cameron County district attorney, who will determine whether Alvarez is hit with additional charges.

He is currently facing eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

ICYMI: Some victims killed in car crash ‘arrived night before’

14:00 , Graig Graziosi

Cesar Romero, 34, a Venezuelan national who witnessed his friends being run over by the vehicle told CNN “some of the men killed had just arrived the night before”.

Mr Romero corroborated accounts by other witnesses that the driver, who police have identified as George Alvarez, tried to run away and yelled obscenities before being held by other bystanders until police arrived.

13:00 , Graig Graziosi

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.

12:00 , Graig Graziosi

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?

Venezuelan migrant who survived Brownsville crash describes split second decision that saved his life

11:00 , Graig Graziosi

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.

Mourners and activists gather at the site of Brownsville crash

10:00 , Graig Graziosi

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.

A Venezuelan migrant who survived the crash is worried for the future of his family

09:00 , Graig Graziosi

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.

Man arrested for allegedly pointing gun at migrant centre near Brownsville crash site

08:00 , Graig Graziosi

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.

What are the charges?

07:00 , Graig Graziosi

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.

06:00 , Graig Graziosi

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

Greg Abbott shows off barbed wire fence in Brownsville – while ignoring migrant deaths

04:59 , Graig Graziosi

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.

George Alvarez’s criminal history revealed:

04:00 , Graig Graziosi

During a press conference on Monday, police noted that George Alvarez has a lengthy criminal history.

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.

WATCH: George Alvarez charged with manslaughter

03:00 , Graig Graziosi

ICYMI: Everything we know about George Alvarez

02:00 , Graig Graziosi

Graig Graziosi has rounded up all the information we currently have about the alleged driver of the SUV, George Alvarez.

Police say Mr Alvarez, 34, was well known to them thanks to a long list of previous criminal charges including assault, aggravated assault, and resisting arrest.

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

'There isn’t any protection for us’

01:00 , Graig Graziosi

A witness to the crash has given a defiant message to anyone who looks down on undocumented migrants.

The 29-year-old Venezuelan man, who asked for his name to not be published, told local broadcaster KIII that he was outside the shelter when the crash occurred and that his only motive in coming to America was to give his wife and son a better life.

“There isn’t any protection for us,” said the man. “The people that come walking all the way over here are at the mercy of God....

“If you treat me bad because you think you’re better than me, for whatever you reason – you have a house, a job, a car, whatever it is – you find a Venezuelan here walking. You should show some more empathy for us, and that goes for the whole world.”

‘We’re all Hispanics, who feel everything that is happening’

Wednesday 10 May 2023 00:00 , Graig Graziosi

The crash has prompted an outpouring of support from Brownsville residents, who are 95 per cent Hispanic or Latino according to the latest US census.

According to Texas broadcaster KIII, locals have held a vigil for the crash victims and set up a makeshift memorial with flowers and crosses.

“We’re all Mexicans, Hispanics, who feel everything that is happening,” said one resident, Maria Esparza. “Me and my family came from immigrants, and we came for a better life.”

Police considering three possible explanations

Tuesday 9 May 2023 23:00 , Graig Graziosi

Authorities say they are actively considering three distinct possibilities about Sunday’s crash, according to CNN.

The first possibility is that the driver of the SUV was intoxicated (police have taken a blood sample). The second is that the car may have “malfunctioned”. The third is that it was a deliberate attack.

“All of these are possibilities”, Brownsville Police spokeperson Martin Sandoval told the cable news channel.

ICYMI: Some victims killed in car crash ‘arrived night before’

Tuesday 9 May 2023 21:56 , Graig Graziosi

Cesar Romero, 34, a Venezuelan national who witnessed his friends being run over by the vehicle told CNN “some of the men killed had just arrived the night before”.

Mr Romero corroborated accounts by other witnesses that the driver, who police have identified as George Alvarez, tried to run away and yelled obscenities before being held by other bystanders until police arrived.

The wife of a man who lost his leg in Brownsville crash pleads with Joe Biden to let her reunite with her husband

Tuesday 9 May 2023 20:24 , Graig Graziosi

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.

What is Title 42 and why is it ending this week?

Tuesday 9 May 2023 19:40 , Graig Graziosi

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?

Venezuelan migrant who survived Brownsville crash describes split second decision that saved his life

Tuesday 9 May 2023 19:10 , Graig Graziosi

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.

Mourners and activists gather at the site of Brownsville crash

Tuesday 9 May 2023 18:18 , Graig Graziosi

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.

How the coronavirus helped fuel the current tension in Brownsville

Tuesday 9 May 2023 17:02 , Graig Graziosi

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.”

A Venezuelan migrant who survived the crash is worried for the future of his family

Tuesday 9 May 2023 16:10 , Graig Graziosi

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.

Man arrested for allegedly pointing gun at migrant centre near Brownsville crash site

Tuesday 9 May 2023 15:08 , Graig Graziosi

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.

What are the charges?

Tuesday 9 May 2023 13:53 , Rachel Sharp

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.

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

Tuesday 9 May 2023 13:30 , Rachel Sharp

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

Greg Abbott shows off barbed wire fence in Brownsville – while ignoring migrant deaths

Tuesday 9 May 2023 13:10 , Rachel Sharp

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.

George Alvarez’s criminal history revealed:

Tuesday 9 May 2023 12:50 , Rachel Sharp

During a press conference on Monday, police noted that George Alvarez has a lengthy criminal history.

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.

WATCH: George Alvarez charged with manslaughter

Tuesday 9 May 2023 12:28 , Rachel Sharp

Vigil planned for victims for Tuesday

Tuesday 9 May 2023 12:05 , Rachel Sharp

A candlelight vigil will be held on Tuesday in honour of the victims killed when a car rammed into a group of migrants outside a shelter in Brownsville, Texas.

The vigil will be held at 7pm MST outside the Sacred Heart Church on Tuesday.

“Following the tragic incident that occurred last Sunday, May 7 in Brownsville, Texas, which resulted in the deaths of 7 innocent lives, the Border Network for Human Rights will hold a vigil in solidarity with migrants across our state and nation,” said the Border Network for Human Rights in a Facebook post.

Seven victims still hospitalised after Brownsville crash

Tuesday 9 May 2023 11:45 , Rachel Sharp

Seven victims are still hospitalised with their injuries in the aftermath of the Brownsville horror crash.

Eight people were killed when driver George Alvarez drove into a group of migrants who were waiting for a bus outside the migrant shelter.

The victims have not been publicly identitied.

ICYMI: Everything we know about George Alvarez

Tuesday 9 May 2023 11:25 , Rachel Sharp

My colleague Graig Graziosi has rounded up all the information we currently have about the alleged driver of the SUV, George Alvarez.

Police say Mr Alvarez, 34, was well known to them thanks to a long list of previous criminal charges including assault, aggravated assault, and resisting arrest.

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

There isn't any protection for us'

Tuesday 9 May 2023 11:05 , Io Dodds

A witness to the crash has given a defiant message to anyone who looks down on undocumented migrants.

The 29-year-old Venezuelan man, who asked for his name to not be published, told local broadcaster KIII that he was outside the shelter when the crash occurred and that his only motive in coming to America was to give his wife and son a better life.

"There isn't any protection for us," said the man. "The people that come walking all the way over here are at the mercy of God....

"If you treat me bad because you think you're better than me, for whatever you reason – you have a house, a job, a car, whatever it is – you find a Venezuelan here walking. You should show some more empathy for us, and that goes for the whole world."

'We're all Hispanics, who feel everything that is happening'

Tuesday 9 May 2023 10:45 , Io Dodds

The crash has prompted an outpouring of support from Brownsville residents, who are 95 per cent Hispanic or Latino according to the latest US census.

According to Texas broadcaster KIII, locals have held a vigil for the crash victims and set up a makeshift memorial with flowers and crosses.

"We're all Mexicans, Hispanics, who feel everything that is happening," said one resident, Maria Esparza. "Me and my family came from immigrants, and we came for a better life."

Police considering three possible explanations

Tuesday 9 May 2023 10:25 , Io Dodds

Authorities say they are actively considering three distinct possibilities about Sunday's crash, according to CNN.

The first possibility is that the driver of the SUV was intoxicated (police have taken a blood sample). The second is that the car may have "malfunctioned". The third is that it was a deliberate attack.

"All of these are possibilities", Brownsville Police spokeperson Martin Sandoval told the cable news channel.

Some victims killed in car crash ‘arrived night before’

Tuesday 9 May 2023 09:25 , Namita Singh

Cesar Romero, 34, a Venezuelan national who witnessed his friends being run over by the vehicle told CNN “some of the men killed had just arrived the night before”.

Mr Romero corroborated accounts by other witnesses that the driver, who police have identified as George Alvarez, tried to run away and yelled obscenities before being held by other bystanders until police arrived.

In pictures: Venezuelan migrants at a vigil near the Plaza Bus Station

Tuesday 9 May 2023 09:13 , Namita Singh