Seven people were killed and at least four more injured when a driver plowed his SUV into a group of pedestrians waiting for a bus outside a migrant and homeless center in Brownsville, Texas, police have confirmed.
The driver, who flipped his Range Rover after mowing down the victims on the sidewalk outside the Ozanam Center, has been arrested for reckless driving and more charges will likely be filed, according to Brownsville Police Lt. Martin Sandoval. The collision appears to have been intentional, Sandoval told local media.
Video of the crash posted to social media shows the vehicle speeding up as it veers onto the sidewalk, with most of the apparent victims unable to get out of the way. The vehicle then flips over as bodies fly in every direction.
Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez released a statement indicating the dead were “migrants who sheltered overnight at the Ozonam center.” While many were quick to call the incident a “hate crime,” early reports indicate the driver was also Hispanic.
Brownsville is one of the southernmost cities in Texas and a well-traveled stop for migrants coming north from Mexico.