Category: Breaking Dallas News

An Amber Alert was discontinued Friday after a 12-year-old Waxahachie girl was found safe in South Dallas, authorities said.

Waxahachie police on Wednesday asked for the public’s help in locating the girl, who was last seen earlier that day on Brenna Road. Authorities said she may have run away from home.

An Amber Alert was issued for the girl early Thursday, and authorities said she was believed to be in grave or immediate danger.

Officials with Waxahachie police and Homeland Security Investigations said in a news conference Friday that she had been located.

“We got her, we found Tanya,” said Mary Magness, deputy special agent in charge of HSI Dallas. “She’s safe.”

With the help of an anonymous tip, authorities found her in a South Dallas hotel room,” said John Perez, the supervisory special agent of the North Texas Trafficking Task Force. Perez said that HSI Dallas Task Force officers along with the Dallas Police Department conducted a canvass of the hotel where they found her.

“As of right now, Tanya is safe,” Perez said. “She is being provided service by the Ellis County Children’s Advocacy Center as well as HSI Dallas-partner nongovernment organizations and victim-service providers.”

No arrests have been made in connection with her rescue, Perez said, and authorities are still investigating leads in the case. Perez said the tip came in about 9:30 a.m., and she was recovered within about an hour.

She was found in the room alone, Perez said. When officers knocked on the door, she opened the door and was cooperative with law enforcement.

Officials could not say if they’re investigating her disappearance as a runaway case or a child trafficking case. They did confirm that the child was the subject of a previous Amber Alert in July last year.

“We were working nonstop in the last 48 hours to ensure that we got to this positive result, not only for Tanya but for her family, and to show the community that HSI Dallas stands ready to help anyone, everyone,” Perez said.

No additional information about the case was immediately available.

The group that released hidden-camera footage Thursday showing Texas college employees discussing DEI has a history of using the tactic to expose employees who seem to be breaking laws regarding critical race theory.

The video showed Texas college employees suggesting that they are continuing to pursue diversity, equity and inclusion work on their campuses despite a statewide ban on the efforts.

In the seven-minute video published on YouTube by the group known as Accuracy in Media, people identified as university staffers respond to questions about DEI. On Jan. 1, a state law banning DEI efforts at state colleges and universities went into effect.

University officials said Thursday they’re complying with the new law and will investigate whether any employees are acting against it. After the video was published on social media, at least one employee has been put on leave while the University of Texas at Tyler investigates.

The state’s new law prohibits Texas public colleges and universities from having DEI offices and hosting programming specific to certain races, ethnicities, gender identities and sexual orientations.

What is Accuracy in Media?

The group lists its mission as using “citizen activism and investigative journalism to expose media bias, corruption, and public policy failings.”

It visited college campuses across Texas aiming to expose employees it believes are continuing DEI work despite the new law.

Some university officials said their employees were unaware they were being recorded and thought they were talking with a recent graduate looking for a job on campus.

In previous years, Accuracy in Media focused on critical race theory bans and exposing teachers who they believed were ignoring state laws banning the use or discussion of the theory.

Who is behind Accuracy in Media?

Adam Guillette, 42, is the group’s president. He is the former vice president of Project Veritas — a group known for publishing undercover videos of individuals and media organizations it identifies as liberal.

Guillette said he has been outraged by the behavior of university administrators ever since he was in college.

“I engaged in a lot of activism at the University of Florida and, just like in Texas, ran into university administrators who just did whatever they wanted and trampled over people’s rights,” he said.

Why hidden recordings at colleges?

Guillette, who is from Florida, said college campuses are “radical hotbeds of hatred and antisemitism associated with ideologies,” sentiments he blames on DEI efforts.

“And it’s for that reason that I think DEI programs have no place in K-12 education, let alone higher education,” he said.

The group visited 24 campuses in Texas in recent months. At least nine were shown in the video, including North Texas schools such as the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of North Texas at Dallas.

“I don’t think that anybody who has ever been asked point blank, while being recorded, ‘Are you breaking the law?’, responded saying ‘Absolutely.’” Guillette said. “We think that it’s great that police officers wear body cams, it’s better for them, it’s better for the public. And I wish politicians and government bureaucrats wore body cams.”

The best next thing, he said, is a hidden camera.

What else has Accuracy in Media done?

Accuracy in Media has been in the news frequently since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war after the group started driving trucks with large screens around Ivy League campuses, including Columbia and Harvard.

The trucks’ screens showed pictures and names of students who signed letters criticizing Israel. Often the names and pictures were paired with the word “antisemite.”

One engineering student from Columbia University filed a lawsuit against Accuracy in Media, asking the Manhattan Supreme Court to block the group from using his name and image after the truck displayed him as “Columbia’s leading antisemite.”

In previous years, Accuracy in Media focused a lot of its work on critical race theory bans in K-12 education. They went to many Texas school districts across the country, including Coppell, Richardson and Mesquite ISDs in North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.

Dallas County and the cities of Dallas, Cedar Hill, and Grand Prairie broke ground Wednesday on a 1.25-mile trail system extension connecting to Coppell about 25 miles away.

The extension runs near Belt Line Road and Farm-to-Market Road 1382, south of Interstate 20, so they are also working with the Texas Department of Transportation and the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

“We’re partners in this region. That’s why we’re the place to move and be,” Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen said.

“I want to let people know this is the most beautiful part of the metroplex,” Cedar Hill City Councilman Alan Sims said. “Cedar Hill is the highest elevation. Some people in Cedar Hill say we look down on the rest of the metroplex. I like to say the Metroplex looks up to us.”

Dallas Parks and Recreation said expanding the trail system will ensure people in southern Dallas have access to it. Deputy director Crystal R. Ross said that part of the county has a “disproportionate number of chronic diseases.”

“This is where residents can come out, ride, walk, they can take advantage and control of their recreation in this green space,” she said.

Construction is being paid for by the cities, Dallas County, and federal funding. The project is expected to cost $2.4 million. The city of Dallas will pay for maintenance.

The extension will run from Camp Wisdom to Mansfield roads. Construction is expected to take about a year.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Alan Scaia / NewsRadio 1080 KRLD

Charges against a former Dallas ISD employee who was accused of assaulting a student have been dismissed, court filings show.

Former coach Marcel Brooks was shown in a viral Instagram video from April hitting a person identified in the post as a student at least twice, knocking the glasses off the student’s face.

The incident occurred at Justin F. Kimball High School in west Oak Cliff. Brooks was arrested and faced a misdemeanor assault charge. He was released on a $1,500 bond.

Brooks was also placed on administrative leave following the incident and fired the following week according to his attorney, Dan Wyde.

On Monday, the Dallas County district attorney’s office filed a motion to dismiss the charge, saying it was unable to proceed with the case after a review of the evidence. A judge granted the dismissal the same day.

Wyde said Brooks is a graduate of Kimball and had been volunteering there for several years as a football and wrestling coach when the district hired him as a hall monitor.

Brooks told WFAA-TV the group of students in the video were not in class when they were supposed to be. He said he approached them about this and a student made physical contact with him first, which led Brooks to defend himself.

“I kinda moved my head so he caught me in the face and neck area and shoved me into some tables that was right there,” Brooks told WFAA.

In a statement from Brooks provided by his attorney, Brooks said dealing with the incident has been “a long battle.”

“I am blessed I can close this chapter and move forward with my life,” he said.

Wyde also said the district needs to review its policies on how employees are treated in dealing with similar situations.

“It’s shameful that employees don’t have the right to self-defense when attacked by a student,” Wyde said.

A Dallas ISD spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

At the time of the incident, Dallas ISD released a statement that said it was “deeply disturbed” by the incident.

“We have taken swift action and will hold all parties involved in this serious offense responsible, to the fullest extent of the law,” the district’s statement said.

An aggressive coyote that reportedly bit three children at an Arlington park tested negative for rabies, city officials said Friday.

Officials had said on Thursday that Arlington Animal Services captured a coyote believed to be responsible for biting three children at Parkway Central Park in separate incidents. Texas Health and Human Services tested the canine after it was humanely euthanized, the city of Arlington said in a Friday news release.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Wildlife Services staff surveyed the park, according to the release. The staff did not find any coyotes within the park but observed two in the surrounding area.

“The coyotes did not display any concerning behavior at that time, and the USDA staff does not consider them a threat to the public at this time,” city officials wrote in the release.

Parkway Central Park, located in the 600 block of Van Buren Drive, will be closed to the public until Tuesday, according to the release.

Officials added that USDA staff did see multiple overflowing trash containers in the area, which they say can attract coyotes. They encouraged residents to keep trash within their cans with lids closed.

The city initially closed the park on Tuesday after officials learned of the attacks between Feb. 10 and Tuesday. According to the city, the kids were playing on the playground or in the parking lot when they were reportedly attacked.

Each child was treated for their injuries and released from the hospital, officials said. After the attacks, police and animal services patrolled the area and set traps.

Coyotes are usually drawn to residential areas if food, shelter or unattended pets are accessible. While aggressive behavior toward people can be abnormal for coyotes, according to the National Park Service, there have been instances in both Dallas and Frisco of attacks.

City Manager T.C. Broadnax is resigning from the City of Dallas following a “suggestion [from] the majority of the Dallas City Council.”

Broadnax submitted his notice of resignation to the mayor and city council on Wednesday.

“My last day of employment will be Monday, June 3, 2024,” he wrote. “This decision was incredibly difficult for me, both professionally and personally, due to the many relationships I have developed during my tenure as City Manager.”

“It is my hope that my departure provides the City Council an opportunity to reset, refocus and transition to a new City Manager that continues to move the City forward and will allow for a more effective working relationship with the Mayor and City Council,” he said.

Broadnax said he will work with staff over the next several months “to plan for a smooth transition of projects, initiatives, and responsibilities in advance of my departure.”

The city manager’s resignation came “at the suggestion of the majority of the Dallas City Council,” according to a news release, per The Dallas Morning News.

“After careful consideration, it has become apparent that the relationship between the mayor and the city manager has not been conducive to effective governance and the advancement of Dallas’ interest,” the statement said.

“The dynamic between these key citywide figures has unfortunately hindered the realization of our city’s full potential and it is imperative we address this issue head-on in order to move forward.”

Nearly two years ago, the city council considered firing Broadnax from his position but then allowed him to keep his job after postponing his performance reviews, as previously covered by The Dallas Express.

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With quarterback injuries piling up during the preseason, free agent Jerrod Johnson landed on a team prior to the start of the NFL regular season.

Bryan Broaddus of DallasCowboys.com announced the Dallas Cowboys have signed Johnson ahead of their preseason game against the Houston Texans on Thursday.

Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram initially reported the Cowboys were looking at Johnson to serve as a possible backup for Jameill Showers in the contest.

Johnson, 28, most recently played with the Baltimore Ravens. They cut him earlier this week, as rosters were trimmed down to 75 men.

The Cowboys are in search of depth at quarterback after Tony Romo suffered a broken bone in his back against the Seattle Seahawks in the third preseason game. Backup Kellen Moore is out for the season after breaking his ankle during a practice last month. 

Rookie Dak Prescott is expected to be the team’s starter when the season begins on Sept. 11, but the Cowboys need depth to fill out their roster and practice squad.  

R.J. Ochoa of Inside the Star did note an interesting trend among Cowboys quarterbacks:

In this era of football that is built on quarterbacks being taken in the first round, the Cowboys have not succumbed to that pressure because Romo has been so good for a decade.

Romo’s time will come to an end sooner than later because of his age and injuries, but they at least appear to be okay at the position in the short-term future even without mortgaging their future on a first-round quarterback in a recent draft. 

Johnson played college football at Texas A&M from 2007 to 2010. His best season came in 2009, when he threw for 3,579 yards, ran for 506 yards and had 38 total touchdowns. 

Since leaving Texas A&M, Johnson has bounced around various football leagues, including the NFL, AFL and UFL. He has played with the Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers since 2011 but has never thrown a pass in a regular-season game.

Johnson isn’t going to change Dallas’ fortunes this season, but he is familiar with the area and has run enough practice squads to know what’s expected of him as an NFL quarterback.

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien arrives at camp every year with two personal goals: play 162 games; score 100 runs.

Now, a third: Break his own MLB record for most plate appearances in a calendar year.

Including the postseason, Semien had 835 plate appearances for the Rangers in 2023. He topped the mark of 733, previously set by Lenny Dykstra in 1993 in Game 5 of the World Series. Yes, he played all 162 regular season games; 179 including the playoffs. He scored an AL-best 122 regular season runs and added another 12 in the postseason.

To celebrate, he was back in the Rangers’ weight room at Globe Life Field within two weeks. The carpet still had the aroma of spilled champagne. Just because he played more than ever before didn’t mean resting more, too.

“I went right into it,” said Semien, who has started 294 consecutive regular-season games and played in 485 of his team’s 486 games over the last three seasons.

“I thought about our opponents and the teams that didn’t go as far as us and had an extra month to prepare. So, I thought to myself: ‘Why should I take a three-week break because we went this far. Now, I need to do what I did the last offseason.’”

Breaks were dedicated to helping coach his 7-year-old son Isaiah’s baseball team and helping out with the care of daughter Amelie Carol Anne, born between the AL Division Series and the ALCS.

If Semien isn’t approaching the season any differently, nor are the Rangers changing their approach to Semien. He will likely play about two-thirds of the exhibitions and pile up his usual 60 plate appearances. He will bat leadoff again in the regular season. Bruce Bochy already made that clear. And nobody is going to push for any time off.

“Have I mentioned it to him? Yes, I’ve mentioned it,” Bochy said. “If he’s beat up and banged up, a day off is beneficial. But he loves to play and if you take that away from him, if he’s healthy, is that beneficial? We’re in this game to play and some guys don’t want to sit.”

A year ago, Bochy mentioned taking a day off to Semien just ahead of the All-Star Game. Semien declined and promised the manager “I will definitely let you know,” if I need one. With a smile.

One way or another, if he’s healthy, he’s going to end up with more than 700 plate appearances. If he does, it will be his sixth time at that mark. Only 18 players in MLB history have had as many 700-plate appearance seasons, including Michael Young while he was with the Rangers.

And to think, if he gets to 700, it will almost get him to his goal. Almost. If another long October run follows, he just might get there.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jon Gray signs autographs following a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Nathaniel Lowe runs the bases during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers catcher Sam Huff casts a shadow over balls laid out in the outfield before a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers outfielder Derek Hill participates in a bunting drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Andrew Heaney participates in a fielding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux watches from a golf cart as pitcher Jesús Tinoco tries to make a leaping catch in a fielding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Abimelec Ortiz signs autographs during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Marcus Semien participates in a fielding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Marcus Semien participates in a fielding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter fills up a bucket of practice baseballs after a drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers Ezequiel Duran (right) laughs with outfielder Evan Carter during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers catcher Andrew Knizner takes batting practice during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitchers Cody Bradford (61) and Brock Burke (46) toss weighted balls into opposite sides of a bullpen wall during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher José Leclerc participates in a fielding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Jesús Tinoco peeks through a practice field fence during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Kirby Yates catches a popup in a fielding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers first base coach Corey Ragsdale works with infielder Jonathan Ornelas during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)A groundskeeper moves a batting cage during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (left) and pitcher Andrew Heaney walk between drills during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers catchers Sam Huff (left) and José Godoy work in the bullpen during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher David Robertson throws in the outfield during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)A basket of practice baseballs sits ready for a fielding drill during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher José Leclerc can’t make a catch in a fielding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher David Robertson (37) talks with pitching coach Mike Maddux during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz. Pitcher Danny Duffy is at right and pitcher Cody Bradford throws in the background.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Jake Latz tries to make a play on a sharp grounder back to the mound in a fielding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Jon Gray signs autographs following a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

The James Beard Foundation has launched a new initiative to address the impacts of climate change on the nation’s independent restaurants.

The Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival campaign aims to unite chefs around the country and push for federal action to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“Independent restaurant owners are hurting now, and the situation will only deteriorate over time unless we do something about it,” said James Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach in a Tuesday call announcing the campaign.

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The organization, which is best known for its annual James Beard Awards, partnered with the Global Food Institute at George Washington University — founded by chef and humanitarian José Andrés — to publish a report on the pressures climate-related events place on the restaurant industry.

The 60-page report cites extreme weather as a direct cause of increased food costs, which restaurants must pass onto their customers by way of increased menu prices.

“We found that rising temperatures, extreme weather events and shifts in agricultural patterns have all contributed to the rising costs and operational challenges in recent years,” Reichenbach said.

Weather changes are also harming restaurant sales, Reichenbach said. She called out Texas specifically as a place where restaurants that rely on patio season sales are increasingly losing business due to record-breaking heat.

Texas is also experiencing reduced food production because of the heat, the report found. In 2022, crop loss claims in Texas totaled $20 billion compared to $8 billion during the drought that ravaged the state in 2011.

To address such issues, the James Beard Foundation will highlight the experiences of chefs around the country who are struggling with rising food costs and ingredient shortages to “make clear to federal policymakers that climate change is not just an environmental crisis, it is a clear and present danger to the independent restaurant industry and all that industry represents,” Reichenbach added.

Andrés, who founded global aid group World Food Kitchen, said the work the James Beard Foundation and the Global Food Institute are doing is an urgent effort to shape a better food system in a changing environment.

“This research is more than just a collection of data and insights,” he said in a written statement. “It’s a rallying cry for chefs, restaurateurs, food producers, policymakers and all actors across the supply chain.”

As part of the campaign, the James Beard Foundation said it plans to use its resources to educate chefs and restaurateurs on the effects of climate change, host roundtables, meet with policymakers in Washington and facilitate farm visits for chefs and lawmakers to see first-hand the challenges they face.

“If we do nothing,” Reichenbach said, “the impact of climate change would challenge the very viability of the independent restaurant industry.”

One of three teens arrested in connection with a shooting last year that left one Paschal High School student dead and wounded another has been sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Isaiah Nuñez, 18, pleaded guilty and received a 35-year sentence in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Zechariah Treviño, the Tarrant County criminal district attorney’s office said in a social media post Friday. According to the post, Nuñez was given a 15-year sentence for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury to Treviño’s cousin, a teenage girl.

Fort Worth police officers responded just after 4 p.m. Jan. 20, 2023, after a caller reported a child had been shot outside a Whataburger in the 2400 block of West Berry Street. Police Chief Neil Noakes has said that the shooting came after an argument that led to a physical altercation.

Both teens were taken to a hospital, where Treviño was pronounced dead.

Police said Nuñez and Daniel Reed, 18, were the gunmen. Another teen was accused of driving the car that brought Nuñez and Reed to the Whataburger.

Reed, who is in Tarrant County custody, faces charges of murder and aggravated assault, and court records show his case is still pending.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the shooting stemmed from an Instagram comment left by the teenage girl. After the girl and Treviño had gone to the Whataburger across from Paschal High to wait for their grandmother to pick them up, two cars pulled into the parking lot.

Reed exited one of the cars, according to court documents, and began arguing with the girl before shooting her. Nuñez emerged from behind the car and fired shots at the girl and Treviño, striking them both.

Three days later, more than 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil outside University United Methodist Church, which is across the street from the Whataburger. Erica Treviño, Zechariah’s mother, has said that he jumped in front of his cousin and saved her life.

At the vigil, she said her son was known to be a jokester and had the biggest heart.