Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 24 July 2017

At Press Time:

9 die in immigrant-smuggling attempt in sweltering truck

By ERIC GAY States. He said people from
WILL WEISSERT Latin America who rely on
Associated Press smuggling networks typi-
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — At cally cross the border on
least nine people died af- foot and are then picked
ter being crammed into up by a driver.
a sweltering tractor-trailer “Even though they have
found parked outside a the driver in custody, I can
Walmart in the midsummer guarantee you there’s
Texas heat, victims of what going to be many more
authorities said on Sunday people we’re looking for to
was an immigrant-smug- prosecute,” Homan said.
gling attempt gone wrong. Federal prosecutors said
The driver was arrested, James Mathew Bradley Jr.,
and nearly 20 others res- 60, of Clearwater, Florida,
cued from the rig were hos- was taken into custody
pitalized in dire condition, and would be charged on
many with extreme dehy- Monday. The local U.S. At-
dration and heatstroke, of- torney’s Office wouldn’t
ficials said. San Antonio police officers investigate the scene where at least nine people were found dead in say whether Bradley was
“We’re looking at a human- a tractor-trailer loaded with at least 30 others outside a Walmart store in stifling summer heat in the alleged driver of the
trafficking crime,” said San what police are calling a horrific human trafficking case, Sunday, July 23, 2017, in San Antonio. truck who was arrested.
(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Antonio Police Chief Wil- It was not immediately
liam McManus, calling it “a The victims “were very hot gling-by-truck operation to back of the 18-wheeler known whether Bradley
horrific tragedy.” to the touch. So these peo- end in tragedy. In one of at one point in its journey, had an attorney who could
Authorities were called to ple were in this trailer with- the worst cases on record ICE acting Director Thom- speak on his behalf.
the San Antonio parking lot out any signs of any type in the U.S., 19 immigrants as Homan said. Officials The U.S. Homeland Security
late Saturday or early Sun- of water,” San Antonio Fire locked inside a stifling rig said 39 people were inside Department stepped in to
day and found eight peo- Chief Charles Hood said. died in Victoria, Texas, in when rescuers arrived, and take the lead in the inves-
ple dead inside the truck. Authorities would not say 2003. the rest were believed to tigation from San Antonio
A ninth victim died at the whether the trailer was Based on initial interviews have escaped or hitched police.
hospital, said Liz Johnson, locked when they arrived, with survivors of the San rides to their next destina- Department Secretary
spokeswoman for U.S. Im- but they said it had no Antonio tragedy, more tion. John Kelly said the incident
migration and Customs En- working air conditioning. than 100 people may have Some of the survivors told demonstrates the brutality
forcement. It was just the latest smug- been packed into the authorities they were from of smuggling organizations
Mexico, and four ap- that “have no regard for
peared to be between 10 human life and seek only
and 17 years old, Homan profits.”
said. Investigators gave no The truck had an Iowa li-
details on where the rig be- cense plate and was reg-
gan its journey or where it istered to Pyle Transporta-
was headed. tion Inc. of Schaller, Iowa.
But Homan said it was un- A company official did not
likely the truck was used to immediately respond to a
carry the immigrants across phone message seeking
the border into the United comment.q

Senator: US student arrested
in China has now been freed

By MATTHEW BROWN Monday local time, ac-
Associated Press cording to Republican Sen.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Steve Daines of Montana.
Chinese authorities have “Prayer’s answered.
dropped charges against Guthrie’s home,” the
an American college stu- 25-year-old student’s moth-
dent who was arrested er, Jennifer McLean, wrote
and detained in the Asian in an email to Daines’ of-
nation a week ago after re- fice.
portedly injuring a taxi driv- Jennifer McLean con-
er who was roughing up his firmed her son’s release in
mother in a fare dispute, a an email to The Associated
U.S. lawmaker said Sunday. Press. She provided no fur-
Guthrie McLean, a Univer- ther information.
sity of Montana senior, was Jennifer McLean has been
released from a detention teaching in Zhengzhou,
center in the central China where her son was visiting
city of Zhengzhou early her this summer.q