Eight people died and nine others were injured Sunday morning in Texas (United States) when a vehicle hit them in front of a center hosting migrants. According to police, pedestrians were waiting at the bus stop in front of the Ozanam center in Brownsville, a city on the border with Mexico. It was 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Suddenly, a grey Range River car hit the stop.
The car "ran over several people waiting at a bus stop," Martin Sandoval, a spokesman for Brownsville police, told a local television station.
Lifting of "Title 42"
Treated for minor injuries, the driver was arrested and taken into custody. Toxicological analyses should be performed. According to testimonies, it seems "that the car has lost control. Now, whether it was an accident or was it intentional, it's still under investigation," Sandoval said.
For now, held in the Brownsville jail, the man, originally from the city, remains silent. And local investigators, supported by the FBI, have not yet found him any reason to voluntarily rush into the bus stop. But the facts come as Thursday will be lifted the "Title 42", a health measure due to Covid that allowed to expel without delay migrants who do not have legal authorization to stay in the country. The expiration of this act has led authorities to fear a spike in illegal entries into the United States.
The Ozanam Centre in Brownsville, administered by the Catholic Diocese, is intended to accommodate homeless individuals and families. Its dormitories have a capacity of 200 beds.