DA says he doesn’t believe that drugs were found in van involved in Houston ICE shooting, countering FBI suspicion

DA says he doesn t believe drugs found in Houston ICE shooting van

DA says he doesn t believe – Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare stated Thursday that he does not believe substances recovered from the van involved in the Houston ICE shooting were drugs, directly countering FBI suspicions outlined in recent court documents. The DA says he doesn t believe the nature of these substances will impact investigations into whether the fatal shooting of 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo on July 7 was justified, or whether the traffic stop itself was warranted.

FBI Warrant Claims Drugs Found in Vehicle

Teare’s remarks follow an FBI warrant application filed Tuesday, in which the agency stated it has cause to believe an investigator discovered illegal drugs in the vehicle Salgado Araujo was driving with three passengers. According to the warrant affidavit authored by FBI Special Agent David McNielly, the agent observed small plastic bags containing a white crystal-like substance in the white cargo van after the shooting.

“Based on the information we have regarding who Mr. Salgado was and just eyeballing the evidence as it was collected yesterday, we don’t believe that they are drugs,” Teare told CNN’s Kate Bolduan on “CNN News Central.”

The FBI warrant cites probable cause for distribution, manufacturing, or possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, as well as simple possession. The document notes that the packaging and appearance of the substance is consistent with methamphetamine, though it does not explicitly identify who the bags are believed to belong to.

When asked why he disagreed with the FBI’s assessment, Teare explained he has information he is not yet ready to release. He added that the substances should be tested by the FBI either today or within the next few days. The DA says he doesn t believe the drug question has any bearing on whether the use of force that killed Salgado Araujo was justified.

Community Response and Ongoing Investigation

While it is unusual for an FBI search warrant to be publicly available during an active high-profile investigation, the federal court docket shows the warrant was initially sealed when filed Tuesday before being unsealed. The filing came two days before a public viewing for Salgado Araujo and three days before his funeral.

Law enforcement had not searched the vehicle prior to filing the warrant, McNielly wrote. Houston Mayor John Whitmire told CNN that FBI agents were performing a search of the vehicle Wednesday morning. To date, the Department of Homeland Security has not indicated that the ICE agents who stopped Salgado Araujo had any knowledge of drugs possibly being inside the vehicle at the time of the fatal shooting.

The medical examiner ruled that Salgado Araujo’s death was caused by a gunshot to the torso, and officials have not released toxicology information describing any substances in his system at the time of death. Domingo Garcia, president of the LULAC Adelante PAC, accused federal investigators of trying to change the public discourse and prejudice a jury in Harris County.

“It just smells of a smear campaign and a cover up,” Garcia said. The ACLU of Texas, which is working closely with Salgado Araujo’s family, stated that the Trump administration lacks credibility to investigate itself and that the public should be skeptical of any claims until a full independent investigation is complete.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office told CNN it did not file or execute the warrant. The DA’s office was able to access the van with permission of the local authorities. CNN has sought comment from the FBI about Teare’s remarks and reached out to the Department of Justice for comment on the allegations in the warrant and whether it was unsealed at the request of federal prosecutors.