ROCKPORT, Texas — On Saturday, in an area just north of Holiday Beach in Aransas County, ‘two highly valued canines were destroyed’ by suspects believed to be in the country illegally, a Texas Sheriff says.
The two tracking dogs were a part of a kennel belonging to Joe Bramen from Refugio County that have in the past been instrumental in locating individuals with Dementia and Alzheimer’s that wondered away from their homes. The dogs were deployed to assist Aransas and Refugio County Deputies, DPS Troopers and a large contingent of Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens who had responded to assist in apprehending a group believed to number 14-16 that had fled on foot from a black Ford Truck.
The incident started with an attempted traffic stop of a north bound vehicle who at one point appeared to be stopping, only to take off at a high rate of speed till it left the roadway traveling through a fence line and proceeding east bound from Highway 35 till it stop at the brush line where all occupants left the vehicle. When responding support arrived, the vehicle was located with all occupants scattered on foot in the heavily brushed area. A canine unit was offered from Refugio County that brought tracking dogs that were non aggressive, non-bite trained.
“This to insure all individuals safety in these exercises, we have other canines well trained that can defend themselves but conscious decisions are made not to deploy them in environments where we have them loose,” Aransas County Sheriff Bill Mills said. “With handlers on horseback and Officers on foot 3 individuals were soon located and detained after contact with the United States Border Patrol who verified the immigration status as questionable.”
As the search continued and moved about a very large area, three more individuals were detected in a heavy thicket with two surrendering quickly and a third responded to demands to come out in Spanish telling officers “if you want me, come and get me”. It was at that time in this same area two canines were found dead from apparent strangulation.
The collars carrying trackers had been twisted tightly about their necks causing their deaths. After the sixth individual who it is believed was responsible for the canine deaths, was detained and interviewed by U.S. Border Patrol Officials it was determined they had come from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. All six individuals, five males and one female were transported to the Aransas County Detention Center where they were picked up by U.S. Customs and Immigration Officials. While not yet confirmed, one of the males detained for U.S. Customs and Immigration was seen wearing ink of a tattoo know to show Cartel affiliation.
The Sheriff Said: “It was an afternoon that left me wondering how many lives of Dementia and Alzheimer’s individuals in the future may have been put at risk with the deaths of these two Canines.”
