Fourteen cities and counties have dropped Flock contracts or cut their number of cameras, but three cities have rejected calls to pull down the devices despite a state funding freeze.
Ayden Runnels
Ayden Runnels is the afternoon/evening reporter. Previously, they were a breaking news reporter for the Las Vegas Sun. A graduate of the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas, Ayden was a Dallas Press Club Foundation reporting fellow at the Tribune in 2023. They were born in the Houston suburb of Clear Lake and speak English and Arabic. They served as editor-in-chief of the North Texas Daily, UNT's student-run newspaper, and have worked on freelance projects for Newsweek.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Appeals court rejects finding that Texas death row inmate Melissa Lucio is innocent
A district judge found Lucio “actually innocent” in 2024 and ruled the state had suppressed evidence in her death penalty case.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas executes second man convicted of triple murder in rural town
Ker’Sean Olajuwa Ramey was convicted in 2007 of killing three Edna residents. Ramey’s codefendant was put to death last week.
Posted in
Politics
Texas freezes installation of Flock cameras along state roads
Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the state Department of Transportation to stop issuing permits for automated license plate readers.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas executes inmate convicted of triple murder in rural town
LeJames Norman became the fifth inmate put to death by the state this year after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene. His codefendant is scheduled for execution next week.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
In reversal, James Talarico says he opposes trans athletes in girls’ sports “if it risks safety or fairness”
Talarico’s comments on Fox News came in contrast to positions he took in the Texas House opposing GOP restrictions on trans student-athletes.
Posted in
Politics
After Abbott’s order limiting Flock cameras, DPS to continue using its vast surveillance network
Law enforcement agencies from across the country search the DPS Flock database once every four seconds, on average. After the Tribune inquired, DPS said it will limit which agencies can access the network.
Posted in
State Government
Gov. Abbott blocks state agencies from spending money on Flock cameras
The order came as The Texas Tribune was preparing to publish an investigation detailing how a state agency has devoted at least $30 million to building the state’s Flock surveillance network.
Posted in
Politics
Lawmakers added $1 to Texans’ car insurance policies. That money paid for thousands of Flock cameras.
The higher fee, meant to combat catalytic converter theft, provided millions to expand the Flock network across Texas. Some lawmakers say that wasn’t the intent.
Posted in
Courts
Texas’ limits on certain drag shows ruled unconstitutional again
A federal judge reasserted his 2023 ruling that the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sent back for reconsideration. The law went into effect in March as the case proceeded.
