At Least Harris County Is Doing Its Job

The Harris County Medical Examiner has ruled the manner of death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo a homicide.

Records from the medical examiner’s office shows Araujo died from a “penetrating gunshot wound of the torso.”

DHS, following the example of the President, blames the Democrats for the fact they have to hide evidence:

On Thursday, DHS officials said the officers involved had not yet received their body-worn cameras and blamed government shutdowns they say delayed funding for that equipment.

“The officers involved in the incident in Houston had not been issued body-worn cameras due to back-to-back Democrat shutdowns,” DHS said. “The process of purchasing and issuing body-worn cameras to all of our ICE field offices was interrupted by the Democrats multiple government shutdowns. Body cameras have been deployed to more than half the field offices with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days.”

"Democrat shutdowns.” Why be subtle about it?

The department said equipping ICE officers with body cameras has been a priority and cited what it described as a sharp increase in assaults on agents.

“Providing our ICE law enforcement officers with body cameras has been a priority for DHS -- especially as our officers are facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them,” the agency said. “Now thanks to the Secure America Act, ICE has historic funding to provide law enforcement with the resources they need, including body cameras.”

The best evidence now is from witnesses. The best witnesses are in ICE custody. Conveniently.

The absence of body camera footage means investigators will instead rely on witness statements, physical evidence and other available video, if any exists, to reconstruct what happened.

"If any exists," it is in the custody of ICE, too.

Meanwhile, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare has launched a parallel review and is urging anyone who witnessed the shooting to contact investigators.

The county can, but the city won’t. How does that work?

Houston city officials have said they do not have jurisdiction to investigate because the shooting involved federal law enforcement officers rather than local police.

Mayor John Whitmire and several Houston City Council members have called for a transparent federal investigation and the public release of the findings.

Maybe if they say: “Pretty please, with sugar on top”?

Weasels.