Man Who Allegedly Drove SUV Into Migrants Has ‘Extensive’ Criminal History, Police Say

The man who allegedly drove an SUV into a group of migrants has been identified as Brownsville, Texas, local George Alvarez, who has an “extensive” criminal history, Brownsville Police Department Chief Felix Sauceda said during a news conference Monday.

The incident occurred Sunday morning in Brownsville, Texas, near a shelter for migrants and the homeless, leaving eight dead. Sauceda revealed a poster of Alvarez and a list detailing his criminal history.

“The investigation also revealed that the driver of the vehicle, later identified as George Alvarez, Nov. 9th, 1988, had attempted to flee the scene after impact, but was held down by several individuals at the scene,” Sauceda said.

Alvarez allegedly drove his SUV into a group of 18 people near a bus stop across from the shelter after running a red light, losing control of the vehicle, which then flipped on its side, Sauceda said. Some of the victims were migrants from Venezuela.

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“George Alvarez is a Brownsville local with an extensive rap sheet. He has been formally charged and arraigned with eight counts of manslaughter, 10 counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He has received bonds totaling $3.6 million,” Sauceda said.

A motive is still unknown, Sauceda said, adding that authorities are working with Venezuelan officials to identify the victims.

Brownsville has seen a surge in migrants in the days leading up to the end of Title 42, a Trump-era expulsion policy enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 11. The city recently declared a disaster after 15,000 migrants, mostly from Venezuela, crossed into the U.S. in a single week, according to the New York Post.

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