A train boxcar where six migrants were found dead in Laredo, Texas, on Sunday originated from Long Beach, police officials said.
The six victims, from Honduras and Mexico, are believed to have died from heatstroke during the deadly journey, but officials on Thursday said they believed they boarded the boxcar on a Union Pacific train Saturday, during a stop in Del Rio, Texas.
“This tragedy weighs heavily on all of us,” said Laredo Mayor Victor D. Treviño during a news conference Thursday. “I understand that every life lost is a tragedy, but there are crimes that are against humanity and against our American principles.”
Laredo Police received a call about the bodies discovered in the boxcar at 3:21 p.m. Sunday, said Laredo Chief of Police Miguel A. Rodriguez Jr.
“That’s when we saw the bodies, and we initiated an immediate investigation,” Rodriguez said.
A spokesperson with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement that a Union Pacific employee made the discovery.
“[Homeland Security Investigations] is actively investigating this case as a potential human smuggling event with assistance from the Laredo Police Department and Texas Rangers,” the spokesperson said. “Due to the ongoing investigation, no additional information can be released at this time.”
Rodriguez said a preliminary investigation revealed that the victims include a woman and two men from Mexico, and three men from Honduras, Rodriguez said.
Investigators say they believe the train departed from Long Beach May 7, making its way east toward Texas. On May 9, the train arrived in Del Rio, Texas, where Rodriguez said investigators believe the migrants boarded the boxcar.
The train then headed to the San Antonio area and Laredo, where the bodies were discovered.
Rodriguez said Laredo Police were assisting in the inquiry, but the Department of Homeland Security and Homeland Security Investigations were leading the investigation.
“Immediately after we recognized this was a human smuggling situation, we contacted our partners through Homeland Security Investigations and our partners in Border Patrol,” Rodriguez said.
In an email, a spokesperson for Union Pacific said the company was assisting authorities in the investigation.
“Union Pacific is saddened by these incidents and continues to work closely with law enforcement,” the company said in its statement.
During the Thursday news conference, officials called the incident a tragedy and urged undocumented immigrants not to take such risks with their lives. Rodriguez said he was confident arrests would be made.
“This is a stark reminder of the dangers of human smuggling,” Treviño said. “Those responsible for trafficking and placing human beings in such dangerous and inhumane conditions must be held accountable.”
