UT provides few details on planned felony gun charge related to campus protest Monday

The University of Texas Police Department plans to file "at least one" felony charge for gun possession in relation to a campus protest Monday, the university said Friday, three days after the university first claimed guns were confiscated from pro-Palestinian protesters.

In accordance with a state law signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015, concealed carry of firearms is allowed on UT's campus provided that the person is licensed to carry. Partially visible or fully visible carry is prohibited in most spaces of campus.

Brian Davis, a spokesperson for the university, declined to elaborate on the nature of the incident in response to detailed questions from the American-Statesman. A spokesperson for the Travis County district attorney's office, Ismael Martinez, said the UT Police Department had been in contact with the office about the planned charge, but said he couldn't provide further details.

The announcement comes one day after Travis County Attorney Delia Garza told KUT it was "concerning" that, despite UT's claim of having confiscated weapons from protesters, her office had seen no weapons or assault charges, nor any details about weapons or firearms in arrest affidavits from UT police.

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Mike Rosen, a spokesperson for the university, told the Statesman in a statement Friday evening that Garza's office would not have seen the charges because felony charges are filed with the district attorney's office.

"County Attorney Garza is not aware of this case because the charge pursued is a third-degree felony," Rosen wrote. "UTPD has been in contact with the Travis County DA's office regarding this case."

Asked for comment on Rosen's statement Friday night, Garza confirmed to the Statesman that her office "would not see felony charges."

Davis did not answer the Statesman's question about whether the person or persons whom police accused of possessing guns still pose a threat to the campus community.

UT also declined to comment further on when it plans to file charges, saying there is an "ongoing investigation."

One day after police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment, arresting 34 students and 45 people not affiliated with the university, per UT, Davis wrote that police had confiscated "guns, buckets of large rocks, bricks, steel-enforced wood planks, mallets and chains" from protesters.

However, of 79 people arrested Monday, 78 faced criminal trespassing charges, and one person received an additional charge of obstructing a highway or passageway, said Kristen Dark, the public information officer for the Travis County sheriff's office. One person was also charged with interfering with public duties, Dark told the Statesman Tuesday.

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The gun possession charge, if filed, would be the only pending felony charge filed in connection to the pro-Palestinian protests at UT that escalated starting on April 24. Earlier this week, the Texas Department of Public Safety withdrew a felony charge of assault on a peace officer against a Fox 7 Austin photojournalist, Carlos Sanchez, whom the agency accused of striking a trooper with his camera while covering the April 24 protest.

Sanchez is now facing charges of Class C misdemeanor assault and interference with public duties, according to arrest affidavits provided by the DPS.

Staff writer Serena Lin contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: UT says it plans to file felony gun charge in relation to campus protest