SAN ANTONIO – Officials are seeking answers after a memorial honoring the 53 migrants who were killed in a 2022 smuggling tragedy along Quintana Road was vandalized.
A call came in Saturday morning reporting the damages, according to San Antonio police.
The vandalism is believed to have happened between 11 p.m. Friday and 8:45 a.m. Saturday, according to a San Antonio police report.
Police said the damage looks intentional because it appears all the crosses were tipped over from behind.
SAPD said they expect to charge the person responsible with criminal mischief for property damage valued between $2,500 and $30,000.
“This rises to the highest level of concern for me, because it takes advantage of members of our community and also continues to fuel the level of rhetoric and hate that has been going on in our community and others about immigrants,” Nirenberg said.
Although the damage has not been labeled a hate crime, police said it could be upgraded in the future depending on the investigation.
>> TIMELINE: Developments in 2022 San Antonio migrant smuggling tragedy that left 53 dead
However, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said he intends to charge the person or people involved with a hate crime and could theoretically charge someone with 53 counts of criminal mischief.
“No one should be subject to this sort of crime, no one should be subject to remembering their loved ones with this sort of destruction,” Gonzales said.
Officials and other members of the community were at the scene Saturday working to clean and fix the memorial.
Police said one of the memorial crosses has also been missing for a couple days and is considered a theft.
“It’s tragic that we have to experience this, it’s tragic that the family members have to go through this and see the horrible result of this kind of vandalism and this kind of horrible act,” Gonzales said.
Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia (D4) said the community will rebuild and will not stand down following the vandalism.
In a statement, the Archdiocese of San Antonio encouraged people “to pray and look to the future with hope instead of distress.”
“City and civic leaders have spoken out publicly and forcefully regarding the destruction of this site again illustrates that this is a community that unites and comes together in times of challenge,” the statement said, in part. “May we remember these 53 brothers and sisters and all migrants who have perished in the pursuit of a better life for themselves and their loved ones.”
There is no suspect information currently available, police said. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to call San Antonio police at 210-207-7273.
“We will find who is responsible for this and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Nirenberg said. “What happened here is not reflective of our community.”
Guilty verdicts reached in trial
On Tuesday, a federal jury found two men accused in the smuggling tragedy guilty.
Armando Gonzales-Ortega, the alleged coordinator, and Felipe Orduna-Torres, a leader and organizer in the incident, were found guilty on the same three charges: conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death, causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.
The trial started on March 4.
On June 27, 2022, authorities found 67 migrants inside a sweltering semitrailer on Quintana Road on the Southwest Side.
Initially, the death toll was 48, but it rose to 53 by June 29, with victims succumbing to heat-related injuries. One of the 53 victims killed was pregnant.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
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