ALVARADO, Texas – Six women charged for their roles in the shooting of an Alvarado police officer faced a federal judge on Monday.
The officer was responding to a vandalism call at the ICE detention center when federal prosecutors said he was ambushed. Thankfully, he survived.
<!–>
Alvarado ICE Detention Center Ambush
–> <!–>
–>
What’s new:
<!–>
On Monday, six women were arraigned on charges connected to the ambush-style shooting of an Alvardo police officer at the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4.
–>
They include Savanna Batten, Joy Gibson, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Lynette Sharp, and Rebecca Morgan.
<!–>
The backstory:
–>
In all, at least 16 people have been charged in the case.
<!–>
According to the federal complaint, several of the defendants were dressed in black, military-style clothing.
–>
The complaint states that the protestors began shooting fireworks at the detention center. Two people broke off from the main group and began to spray graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure.
<!–>
Officials believe it was all a ploy to draw ICE detention officers out of the building. Instead, the correctional officers called 911 to report the vandalism.
–> <!–>
When the Alvarado police officer arrived, a defendant positioned in the woods shot the officer in the neck. Another assailant across the street fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers.
–>
Investigators found AR-style rifles at the scene, two-way radios, and a total of 12 sets of body armor after searching the scene and the defendants’ cars.
<!–>
The complaint said the shooters ran away, but law enforcement officers stopped them.
–>
One attacker had cellphones inside a type of bag that blocks cellphone signals.
<!–>
The complaint called the attack a conspiracy.
–> <!–>
What they’re saying:
–>
The six defendants’ supporters strongly dispute the conspiracy claim.
<!–>
They argue the women were there to attend what they thought would be a peaceful protest.
–>
They did not want to make any official statements after Monday’s arraignment but questioned why the hearings were taking place 11 weeks after the arrests.
<!–>
The court-appointed attorney for the women also did not want to make any statements yet on what happened.
–>
The attorney said the time was not unusual, given that both state and federal agencies are involved.
<!–>
What’s next:
–>
Additional defendants will be arraigned on Tuesday.
<!–>
The Source: FOX 4’s Lori Brown attended Monday’s court hearing to gather details for this story.
–>