No less than seven individuals had been killed Sunday in south Texas and a number of other others injured when a automobile plowed by way of a gaggle ready at a bus cease outdoors a migrant help middle, police mentioned.

Regulation enforcement mentioned they had been treating the incident as an accident for now, although a witness advised AFP the driving force had yelled insults on the group earlier than accelerating.

The grey sport utility automobile “went by way of a purple gentle and ran over a number of individuals” at round 8:30 am (1330 GMT) in Brownsville, a border metropolis on the southernmost tip of the state, native police spokesman Martin Sandoval advised AFP.

He mentioned seven individuals died and “almost 10” different individuals had been injured.

Witness Luis Herrera, whose arm was harm within the incident, advised AFP the crash was “sudden.”

“A girl glided by in a automobile and warned us to get out of the best way,” he mentioned.

“It was a matter of moments. The killer got here (by way of) within the automobile, gesturing at us, insulting us,” the 36-year-old Venezuelan mentioned.

Herrera then described the driving force as accelerating the automobile to full drive.

The motorist, whom Sandoval mentioned was additionally taken to the hospital, was detained by witnesses till police arrived. He has been charged for now with reckless driving.

“Greater than seemingly there’s going to be different prices approaching later,” Sandoval earlier advised a neighborhood ABC affiliate, with out clarifying what the extra prices may be.

Authorities have launched an investigation into whether or not the deadly crash was an accident or intentional, Sandoval mentioned.

“We’re trying (into it),” he advised AFP.

– ‘Intense’ –

The victims had been amongst a crowd of about 25 individuals ready at a bus cease, in accordance with Victor Maldonado, the chief director of the Ozanam Heart, a homeless shelter throughout the road from the crash.

The group, whom he mentioned had been all Venezuelan, had simply eaten breakfast on the facility.

He described a grisly scene, with physique elements left behind alongside the road.

Witnesses had been “actually shocked,” Maldonado advised AFP. “It was fairly intense.”

The homeless middle is open 24 hours per day, Maldonado mentioned, as “we have been housing people coming from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, China, Ukraine – and a number of Venezuelans,” he added.

Sandoval mentioned at the least among the victims had been migrants, however couldn’t verify whether or not they all had been.

“It is one thing that we’re investigating with border police,” he mentioned.

The information of the tragedy comes as authorities brace for the lifting on Thursday of a Donald Trump-era federal coverage that enables border patrol officers to deport or flip away migrants with out even accepting their asylum purposes.

The looming expiration of the rule generally known as Title 42 has authorities fearing a spike in undocumented migrants coming into the USA.

It additionally comes a day after a shooter killed at the least eight individuals at a shopping center, additionally in Texas, within the newest mass capturing to rock the nation.