Inside a San Antonio courtroom, the family of a deceased Texas boy physically attacked the suspect after he made a “gesture” at them.
Victor Nathaniel Rivas, 18, is accused of murdering Ethan Soto, 15, in May 2022.
Rivas allegedly shot Soto in retaliation for a cocaine heist.
According to the San Antonio Express-News, Rivas was waiting for his case to be called in court when he made an undefined gesture at the shooting victim’s family.
As a result, several of Soto’s relatives jumped over the railing that separated the gallery from the accused and began attacking Rivas.
Family of murder victim Ethan Soto attacks suspect Victor Rivas in Texas courtroom after alleged provocation.
The incident led to the arrest of four individuals, including two adult males and two juvenile males, on charges of assault and disrupting court proceedings. pic.twitter.com/vz06UBRiw8
— BoreCure (@CureBore) October 21, 2023
The struggle continued until a swarm of police officers arrived to assist the bailiffs, who were outnumbered at the moment.
“Two sheriff’s bailiffs who were inside of the courtroom immediately responded to break up the fight,” Deputy Johnny C. Garcia said in a statement to the newspaper.
The report explains, “More family members, including women, became disruptive. Officers pushed them back, handcuffed at least one of them and escorted Rivas and the other jail inmates out of the courtroom.”
A handcuffed murder suspect was viciously beaten by the family of his alleged victim after he appeared to make a gesture at them in a Texas court.
Victor Nathaneal Rivas, 18, was inside the Bexar County courtroom where he is on trial for murder over the death of Ethan Soto, 15,… pic.twitter.com/2JH1Q8QHQf— Johnny (@tallyman2023) October 21, 2023
“Responding deputies were able to break up the fight and placed into custody four individuals involved in the incident,” Garcia said.
Rivas’ attorney, Adam La Hood, told the paper that his client is going to be “bruised and swollen.”
“I’ve never seen this happen in a court,” La Hood said. “It all happened in the flash of eye.”
The relatives, two men and two teenagers, will now face assault and disruption charges. At the time of publication, their names had not been given to the media.
Meanwhile, Jamaal is still not in trouble for activating the fire alarm, nor are any anti-Israel protesters who stormed the capitol last week and disrupted official business. They will spend 3 years inside the Washington, DC, gulag without a trial.