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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 15 augusT 2017

Police: 16 immigrants locked inside rig at Texas truck stop

EDINBURG, Texas (AP) — cal officials and talking to
Police in Texas acting on witnesses.
a tip found 16 immigrants The discovery comes three
locked inside a tractor-trail- weeks after 10 people died
er parked at a gas station in a sweltering rig parked
about 20 miles (30 kilome- at a Walmart in San Anto-
ters) from the border with nio.
Mexico, less than a month Immigration officials say
after 10 people died in the survivors estimated 100
back of a hot truck in San people had been packed
Antonio. into the back of the
Edinburg Assistant Police 18-wheeler at one point.
Chief Oscar Trevino says Officials said 39 people
the immigrants may have were inside when rescu-
been locked inside the ers arrived, and the rest
18-wheeler in Edinburg for either escaped or hitched
at least eight hours before rides to their next destina-
being freed by officers late tion. Nearly 20 of those
Sunday morning. rescued from the rig were
He had earlier said there hospitalized in dire condi-
were 17 immigrants locked tion, many suffering from In this Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017 photo, Border Patrol officers question a group of immigrants in Ed-
in the tractor-trailer before extreme dehydration and inburg, Texas. Police in Texas acting on a tip found the immigrants locked inside a tractor-trailer
correcting the number on heatstroke. The driver of parked at a gas station about 20 miles from the border with Mexico, less than a month after 10
people died in the back of a hot truck with little ventilation in San Antonio.
Monday to 16. that rig remains in federal (Delcia Lopez/The Monitor via AP)
Trevino said none of the custody, charged with il-
people inside the tractor- legally transporting immi-
trailer required medical at- grants for financial gain, ers traveling through the gan knocking on the sides The San Antonio incident
tention. He said they were resulting in death. region, after receiving of trailers parked at the demonstrated how smug-
hungry and thirsty and On Sunday, Edinburg po- an anonymous call from station and eventually re- glers regularly use big rigs
were given food and wa- lice went to the gas sta- someone saying a rela- ceived return knocks from in an elaborate network of
ter at the scene. tion, a popular stopover tive was trapped inside the the one holding the immi- foot guides, safe house op-
Those found locked in the for commercial truck driv- tractor-trailer. Officers be- grants, police said. erators and drivers. q
tractor-trailer included
eight people from El Sal- Officials:
vador, six from Mexico and
two from Romania, said 3 killed at race track were known gang members
Manuel Padilla, U.S. Cus-
toms and Border Protec-
tion’s Border Patrol sector By IVAN MORENO Lakes Dragaway in the go back up and actually “At least the family mem-
chief for the Rio Grande GRETCHEN EHLKE town of Paris at about 7 make sure that they were bers that I’m aware of are
Valley at Texas’ southern- PARIS, Wis. (AP) — Three p.m. Sunday, according dead,” not cooperating at all with
most point. Illinois men whom authori- to Kenosha County sher- Beth said at an afternoon the investigation.
A man and woman who ties believe were gang iff’s officials. news conference. The It has not helped us,” Beth
Trevino said are Cuban members may have been Sheriff David Beth said au- shooting happened as said.
nationals were in charge targeted by a rival when thorities are still looking for some 15,000 people at- The Kenosha County
of the rig and have been they were shot to death at the male gunman who tended “Larry’s Fun Fest” Sheriff’s Office said Mon-
detained. close range during a drag first shot two of the three at the raceway on a mild day the victims of Sun-
U.S. Immigration and Cus- racing event in southeast- men, shot the third as he Sunday evening. No one day night’s shooting were
toms Enforcement spokes- ern Wisconsin, sheriff’s offi- tried to get away around else was hit by gunfire, au- 30-year-old David L. Wat-
woman Nina Pruneda said cials said Monday. a tent and then returned thorities said. son of Oswego, 30-year-
no one has been charged The three men were fatally and shot the two others a A lack of cooperation by old Khalid R. Howard or
yet in connection with the shot as they stood near second time. the victims’ relatives has Aurora, and 26-year-old
case but that the agency a concession area in the “He had enough time made his detectives’ work Derek K. Edwards of North
is working with state and lo- parking lot of the Great and enough arrogance to harder, the sheriff said. Aurora. q