Answers sought in killing of Mexican national by state trooper
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- Parents, wife suspect violation of civil rights; DPS says investigation under way
A grand jury in Starr County has not made a decision in a DPS shooting. A couple of months ago, police say a DPS trooper shot and killed Ismael Segura in Escobares. Segura was an immigrant from Mexico. Reports state the trooper believed Segura was pulling something out of his pocket during a foot chase. The District Attorney plans to present the evidence to a new grand jury in April. Some townspeople said they were angry because they thought the slaying could have been avoided. But it wasn't clear during the chase that the victim was unarmed, DPS spokeswoman Lisa Block said. She said O'Connor and a second trooper pulled Segura over on U.S. 83 on suspicion of drunken driving. When they tried to handcuff him, Segura broke free, pushing O'Connor to the ground. He ran about 1,000 yards, stopping between a house and brick wall. "O'Connor repeatedly warned him to stop and Segura Mendez ignored the warning and proceeded toward the trooper in a threatening manner," she said. Segura died in a hospital. At his beauty salon, José Pérez Guerrero, 55, said he thought the killing could have been avoided. Customers there on a recent afternoon agreed. "It was negligent because he shot an immigrant without a weapon," Pérez said. Sandra Mendoza, a vice consul at the Mexican Consulate in McAllen, said she expects the investigation will be complete in a few weeks. "What is clear, is that Ismael did not have a gun or something to put the police officer's life in danger," she said. "There may have been an excessive use of force."[more] and [more] and [more]
