Seventeen people have now been arrested in connection with a July 4 shooting outside an Alvarado immigration detention center, according to a group supporting the people arrested.
The three most recently arrested were part of the DFW Support Committee, consisting of family members and friends of the other 14 people allegedly involved in the shooting, the group wrote in a statement.
Rebecca Morgan, Dario Sanchez, and Susan Kent were recently detained in Johnson County. It's not clear why or how they are connected to the shooting.
"To arrest someone well over a month after the July 4th event signals the state’s dogged attempt to tear through this community," the committee said.
KERA News reached out to the Johnson County Sherriff's Office, which referred questions to the county district attorney. The DA's office did not respond to requests for comment.
Jail records show Morgan and Sanchez were arrested July 15. Morgan faces hindering with prosecution of terrorism and U.S. Marshal hold charges with a $2.5 million bond and Sanchez is facing a tampering or fabricating physical evidence with a $5 million bond. Kent was arrested Aug. 7 and is facing engaging in organized criminal activity and hindering prosecution of terrorism charges with a bond set at $10 million, according to jail records.
Court documents unsealed last month claim as many as 12 people dressed in all black were shooting fireworks towards the Prairieland Detention Center July 4 when correctional officers called dispatch.
When Alvarado police arrived, a person in the woods opened fire, hitting one officer in the neck, according to court records. That’s when authorities say someone started shooting at correctional officers.
A Johnson County Sherriff detective later stopped a car less than a mile away from the facility and arrested one of the people, according to court documents. Police say they found others walking at an intersection and arrested them, while another person was identified and arrested the following Monday.
The first 10 arrested were identified as Autumn Hill, Savanna Batten, Nathan Baumann, Zachary Evetts, Joy Gibson, Meagan Morris, Maricela Rueda, Seth Sikes, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto, according to court records.
It’s not clear from court documents who's accused of firing the shots from the woods. All but one of the people identified as suspects are charged with three counts of attempted murder of a federal officer and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of a crime of violence.
An 11th person was identified in court documents as Daniel Rolando Sanchez and charged with tampering with evidence and conspiracy to tamper with evidence in an official proceeding.
Later that month, former marine reservist Benjamin Hanil Song was arrested and federally charged with three counts of attempted murder and three counts of discharging a firearm during a violent act from a shooting. Song also faces state charges of engaging in organized criminal activity, aggravated assault on a public servant, and aiding in commission of terrorism, jail records show.
Two others, John Thomas and Lynette Sharp, were also arrested after, “law enforcement agents determined that they helped Song abscond from the Prairieland area and evade arrest,” according to officials.
Thomas was charged with smuggling of persons and later federally charged with accessory after the fact. Sharp was charged with hindering prosecution of terrorism, then later charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, assault causing bodily injury to a family member and federally charged with accessory after the fact.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's Breaking News Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope at privera@kera.org.
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