Brownsville: Driver charged after car strikes migrants in Texas

The driver of a car which struck a group of people in Brownsville, Texas, killing eight, has been charged with manslaughter.

Police have identified the driver as George Alvarez, a 34-year-old Brownsville resident with a lengthy criminal history.

Investigators have yet to determine whether the incident was intentional or an accident.

Twelve people were also injured in the crash, some of them critically.

In a news conference on Monday, Brownsville Police Chief Felix Sauceda said that Mr Alvarez ran a red light and lost control of his vehicle, striking 18 people.

The group was at a bus stop close to a shelter for the homeless and migrants in Brownsville, which is located near the US-Mexico border.

Mr Alvarez allegedly attempted to flee the crash site, but was restrained and "held down" by people at the scene.

In addition to eight manslaughter charges, Mr Alvarez is now facing 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Mr Saucedo said that "several" of the victims have been confirmed as being Venezuelan nationals. Local authorities have been in touch with Venezuelan authorities to coordinate reunification efforts and assistance for the victims.

According to Brownsville police, Mr Alvarez has an extensive criminal history, which has included nine assault charges against family members, public servants and elderly and disabled people, as well as charges for drunk driving, marijuana possession, burglary and evading arrest, among other counts.

He has so far been uncooperative with police and is being held on $3.6m (£2.85m) bond.

Mr Saucedo said that investigators so far "have nothing to validate" reports that Mr Alvarez expressed anti-immigrant sentiment before the incident took place.

Authorities, however, have not ruled out that the attack may have been intentional.

Police are still waiting on the results of a formal toxicology report to determine whether he was intoxicated or using drugs at the time of the crash.

Video reportedly taken at the scene appears to show Mr Alvarez being restrained by police officers and taken to a waiting vehicle. In the video - which cannot be independently verified by the BBC - he is shirtless and wearing boots coloured like the flag of Texas.

The incident came as Brownsville and other border communities are dealing with a significant increase in illegal migrant arrivals ahead of the expiry of Title 42, a Covid-era policy that allowed the US to automatically expel undocumented migrants.

The influx prompted Brownsville officials to issue a disaster declaration in April.