The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
The shooter wore a patch that said, “RWDS,” an acronym for Right Wing Death Squad, according to people familiar with the investigation. The phrase is popular among right-wing extremists, neo-Nazis and white supremacists, they said. Full Story
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President Joe Biden confirmed Sunday that the gunman used an AR-15 in the attack. Full Story
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The driver has been detained, but authorities say it is unclear what caused the fatal crash at a Brownsville bus stop. Full Story
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Texas has seen nine mass shootings over the last 14 years while lawmakers have steadily loosened restrictions on carrying firearms. Full Story
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The shooter was also killed by a police officer after he opened fire in Allen. Gov. Greg Abbott called the shooting “an unspeakable tragedy.” Full Story
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San Antonio voters rejected by wide margins an effort to decriminalize abortion and require police to issue citations rather than make arrests for some nonviolent offenses. In El Paso, an effort to wean the city from fossil fuels fared similarly poorly. Full Story
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Officials did not specify the location of his arrest on Tuesday night, but they said the suspect was being held at the Montgomery County jail where he was initially taken. Full Story
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A month after the Texas Department of Public Safety began patrolling Austin streets, city officials have both praised a drop in violent crime and condemned the operation’s disparate impact on Latino and Black residents. In 2019, Dallas faced the same challenges. Full Story
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In today’s episode, we discuss the problems in the Texas state agency intended to rehabilitate children who have committed crimes — and whether the Legislature is eyeing any solutions. Full Story
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The governor’s focus on immigration status, not the loss of life, draws rebukes from across the country. Full Story
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In the face of mass shootings in Texas, state leaders have made it easier to access guns. Full Story
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The suspect, who is still being sought, had been asked to stop shooting his rifle in his front yard because of a sleeping baby, according to authorities. Full Story
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Moving the most violent and troubled youths to adult prison makes it easier to help others in juvenile facilities, some prosecutors and lawmakers say. Youth justice advocates say Texas is giving up on the children who most need help. Full Story
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“They didn’t try to fix the brokenness,” his mother says. “They just broke him more.” Full Story
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The legislation is in response to elected prosecutors in Texas’ large, left-leaning counties who have said they will not prosecute abortion cases. Full Story
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Stuck in committee, the test-strip legislation has support from Gov. Greg Abbott and bipartisan lawmakers, who see it as a way to save lives. Full Story
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During a Texas Tribune event marking one year since the shooting at Robb Elementary School, parents, mental health experts and faith leaders talked about how the path to recovery isn’t the same for everybody. Full Story
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Joshua Keith Beasley Jr. had been transferred from a Texas youth facility to an adult prison despite a long history of suicidal behavior. Five guards and two supervisors allegedly failed to check on him. Full Story
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Wasi and his brother pray for their family’s safety as the holy month of Ramadan ends and the Taliban continues to rule Afghanistan. Full Story
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Two jurors from Cantu’s 2001 double-murder trial now support his appeals, which claim prosecutors relied on false testimony and withheld crucial evidence. Full Story
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