Topline
Police arrested but have not yet publicly identified the driver of the vehicle who drove through a group of people waiting at a bus stop outside a migrant shelter in Brownsville, Texas, Sunday, killing eight and injuring 10.
Emergency personnel respond to a fatal collision in Brownsville, Texas, on Sunday, May 7, 2023.
Key Facts
At around 8:30 am Sunday morning a man driving a Range Rover drove through a group of 20 to 25 people waiting at a bus stop outside the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, a non-profit homeless shelter that houses migrants, CNN reported.
Officials initially announced seven people died after the crash, but multiple news outlets reported Monday the death toll rose to eight.
The driver was speeding, surveillance videos showed, and ultimately hit a curb before losing control of the vehicle and crashing into migrants who were waiting for their bus, Victor Maldonado, director of the Ozanam Center, told CNN Sunday.
Witnesses of the crash detained the driver so he could not flee the scene, Brownsville police spokesperson Martin Sandoval told reporters Sunday.
The driver, who has not been named by police but has been identified as a Hispanic man, was arrested and charged on suspicion of reckless driving, Sandoval told CNN Sunday.
What To Watch For
Brownsville Police said they plan to hold a press conference Monday.
Key Background
Many of the victims in Sunday’s crash were migrants seeking refuge in the shelter, Maldonado told CNN, adding that a group of Venezuelan refugees arrived at the shelter days before the crash. While police have not released any information about the motive, the New York Times reported police are investigating reports the driver had spouted anti immigration remarks. The FBI is assisting Brownsville Police in their investigation.
Tangent
Sunday’s crash was not the only tragedy to strike Texas this weekend. On Saturday eight people died and at least seven others were injured during a mass shooting at a Dallas-area outlet mall.
Further Reading
7 Dead In Brownsville, Texas, After Vehicle Plows Into Pedestrians (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/05/08/what-we-know-about-a-texas-crash-that-left-8-dead/