Brownsville Police Block release of Documents in Shooting of Latino Teenager

Brownsville police filed a request with the Texas Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday to prevent the release of videotapes that show a Feb. 25 chase that ended with the shooting death of an alleged car thief. Three customs agents and two Brownsville police officers shot 17-year-old Edgar Ivan Lopez to death following a chase that ended at the B&M Bridge, police said. Lopez allegedly tried to evade arrest and run over a customs agent in an attempt to escape into Matamoros, police said. The teen’s family filed a wrongful death and excessive force lawsuit with the 103rd state District Court less than 72 hours after his death. Both The Brownsville Herald and San Antonio Express-News requested copies of the reports and the videotapes taken from police cars involved in the fatal chase. In letter dated March 7, the Brownsville Police Department asked Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott to consider its request to withhold the video recordings. Brownsville Police Chief Carlos Garcia said his agency is expected to release the written reports today but was advised by the department’s attorneys to withhold the video recordings based on the ongoing investigation and pending litigation. [more] and [more]

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