Texas

HOUSTON, TX – The Houston Fire Department's Arson Division has arrested Jose Santos Ascencio in connection with a two-alarm fire that broke out Saturday on Schurmier Road in south Houston. Ascencio is accused of starting a burn pile on his property, which spread out of control and ignited a neighboring business. The arrest coincides with Fire Prevention Week and serves as a reminder that open burning within Houston city limits is illegal without a permit. Officials emphasize that such regulations are in place to prevent fires from escalating and endangering lives and property.

AUSTIN, TX – A homicide investigation is underway after a woman was found fatally shot in a field in north Austin early Monday morning. Austin Police Department officers responded to a call around 7:42 a.m. regarding a deceased person in the 8100 block of Research Boulevard. Upon arrival, officers met with the caller and discovered an unresponsive female with apparent trauma. She was pronounced deceased at the scene at 7:53 a.m. Homicide detectives and crime scene specialists processed the area and interviewed witnesses. Preliminary findings indicate the victim was shot by an unknown suspect or suspects who fled the scene before police arrived. The victim has not yet been identified. Investigators are asking anyone who saw or heard anything in the area to come forward. Tips...

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – Judge Lina Hidalgo is calling for renewed ethics reforms following an audit showing that the Harris County Flood Control District failed to implement procurement safeguards unanimously adopted by Commissioners Court over a year ago. File Photo (August 2025) According to a new report from the independent Harris County Auditor’s Office, the Flood Control District has not followed through on key reforms passed in April 2024, which required written procedures for vendor selection, documentation of the procurement process, and conflict of interest forms for employees involved in awarding contracts. These measures were originally adopted after a previous audit in November 2023 flagged deficiencies in procurement practices. The latest audit found the district still la...

AMARILLO, TX – A 74-year-old man was struck and killed in a hit-and-run crash while crossing the 700 block of North Mirror Street on foot late Sunday night. According to the Amarillo Police Department, officers responded to the scene around 11:18 p.m. and found the man lying in the northbound lanes. Investigators say the man was pushing a wheelchair and attempting to cross Mirror Street from east to west when he was hit by a vehicle that fled the scene. The man was pronounced deceased at the location. An autopsy was ordered by Potter County Justice of the Peace Robert Taylor. The case remains under investigation by the Amarillo Police Department’s Traffic Investigation Squad. Anyone with information is urged to contact law enforcement.

BEAUMONT, TX – Beaumont Police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at the Express Mart located at 1755 East Cardinal Drive. On October 2, 2025, at approximately 1:28 a.m., two armed suspects entered the store through the rear door and stole about $200 in cash and several packs of tobacco products. The suspects fled on foot toward an apartment complex on South Martin Luther King Parkway. A follow-up investigation led detectives to identify a suspect vehicle. Special Assignment Unit officers and detectives located the vehicle at a residence in the 3100 block of Grand Street and detained 19-year-old Marvin Watts of Beaumont after surveillance. Multiple pieces of evidence found in the vehicle and on Watts’ person linked him to the robbery. The robbery investigation is on...

KYLE, TX – Hays County SWAT executed an arrest operation on October 3, 2025, resulting in the arrest of Mohammed Al Anaiza, who was wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to investigators, Al Anaiza allegedly rammed the victim’s vehicle, threatened to kill the victim, and menaced her with a firearm. Following the investigation, the Hays County Criminal Investigations Division obtained arrest warrants for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. SWAT operators located and apprehended Al Anaiza in the 1700 block of Bebee Road in the unincorporated area of Kyle. The arrest was made without incident. The Hays County Criminal Investigations Division continues to investigate.

ZAVALA COUNTY, TX – A failed human smuggling attempt led to a pursuit that ended in La Pryor after a 17-year-old driver from San Antonio fled from deputies in a Dodge Challenger. The incident began around 8:27 p.m. on October 4, 2025, when a Zavala County deputy heard Texas DPS Communications report a blue Dodge Challenger that failed to yield at the Border Patrol checkpoint in Maverick County, possibly heading north on FM 481. The deputy responded west toward Maverick County to intercept the vehicle. At approximately 8:35 p.m., the deputy attempted to stop the 2021 Dodge Challenger for speeding 104 mph in a 75 mph zone near Chaparrosa Ranch on U.S. Highway 57. The vehicle failed to yield, initiating a pursuit eastbound toward La Pryor, reaching speeds of up to 110 mph and drivin...

AUSTIN, TX – Governor Greg Abbott announced he has fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials. File Photo (September 2025) In a statement, Abbott said, “You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let the Texas Guard do it.” He emphasized that “no Guard can match the training, skill, and expertise of the Texas National Guard,” adding that they defend the country with pride. Abbott also noted that Texas continues to have thousands of National Guard members assisting with border security operations. The announcement came after Governor J.B. Pritzker criticized the deployment, stating that no federal officials had coordinated with him regarding the movement of tro...