Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis announced Monday he will ask Commissioners Court to fund the Harris County District Attorney’s independent investigation into the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during a federal immigration operation last week.
Ellis and Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare held a news conference Monday, saying the county is committed to conducting a thorough, transparent and independent review of the July 7 shooting in Houston’s Magnolia Park neighborhood.
Salgado Araujo was shot and killed during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in east Houston. Federal officials have said an ICE agent opened fire after Salgado Araujo allegedly drove his vehicle toward officers. His family has disputed that account and has called for the release of surveillance video and other evidence.
“Our message is clear: Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s life mattered,” Ellis said. “His family deserves answers. Harris County residents deserve answers. The American people deserve answers.”
Ellis said he plans to bring an item before Commissioners Court to provide funding for the district attorney’s investigation, though he said the amount has not yet been determined.
“We have not only the authority, but also the obligation” to support the investigation, Ellis said.
District attorney says investigation could take months or years
Teare said his office is conducting a parallel investigation, similar to other officer-involved shootings, but unlike local cases, federal investigators have not collaborated with his office.
“The federal government has not invited us in,” Teare said. “The federal government is not collaborating to this point with us in this investigation.”
Because of that, Teare said additional prosecutors and investigators may be needed to carry out the investigation.
He said investigators continue collecting evidence and reviewing information submitted through the district attorney’s online tip portal, which has received more than 100 communications from the public.
Teare urged anyone with photos, videos or eyewitness information to submit it, saying every piece of evidence could be important.
He cautioned that the investigation will likely take “many months, potentially years” before it is complete.
Evidence will eventually be made public, DA says
Teare said any evidence recovered during the investigation, including videos, will eventually be released to the public after investigators reach a charging decision or present the case to a grand jury.
“My priority right now is to maintain the integrity of this investigation,” Teare said.
DA says investigators still don’t know identities of agents involved
One week after the shooting, Teare said his office still has not identified the federal agents involved.
“In every state or local officer-involved shooting, the DA’s office knows that officer’s identity within 12 hours at the outside,” Teare said. “In this case, we’re six days in, and we don’t know.”
Teare said his office has spoken with local Homeland Security Investigations officials but has not been able to communicate with the federal agency conducting the investigation into the shooting.
He said investigators are pursuing surveillance video, eyewitness accounts and other evidence while considering legal action if necessary to obtain records.
“We’re going to continue to request, we’re going to continue to ask,” Teare said. “At some point, we stop asking and we start asking district court judges and state court and federal court to grant us access.”
Medical examiner ruled death a homicide
The Harris County Medical Examiner has ruled Salgado Araujo’s death a homicide, though that classification does not determine whether a crime occurred. Rather, it describes the manner of death for medical purposes.
The independent investigation comes as county leaders say they want to ensure Salgado Araujo’s family, the Magnolia Park community and the public receive answers about what happened during the July 7 ICE operation.