Texas Cop Fired After Video Shows Brutal Beating Of Children At Pool Party, Victims' Families Demand Arrest
A Galveston, Texas, police officer was dismissed from his position after footage surfaced of him assaulting several children and adults at a pool party while he was off duty.
The families of the victims are now calling for Jared Rivas, the officer in question, to be arrested and face legal charges.
On June 25, Rivas was caught up in a confrontation with a group of teenagers who were celebrating a birthday party at the Island Bay Resort apartment complex's pool with parental consent.
According to 'Fox 26,' Rivas was serving as a courtesy officer at the apartment complex that day. He reportedly approached the party and asked the group to leave the pool area due to their non-residency. As they were departing, family attorneys claimed he conducted an "unprovoked and brutal assault" on the teenagers.
The altercation was recorded by both bystanders and victims on cellphone cameras, showing Rivas punching, kicking, and pinning the teenagers to the ground.
Rivas called for backup during the altercation and Galveston Police officers who arrived helped detain the teenagers. Parents, including Heidi Williams and Lori Lozano, expressed their trauma and loss of trust in law enforcement, detailing the physical assault on their children.
Lozano's son, Taylor Alexander, described how Rivas physically attacked his compliant younger brother.
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"An officer of the law who the kids are supposed to trust and have faith in and look up to are now harming them and their siblings and friends," Williams said, per 'ABC 13,' who was in attendance at the party.
The families have contacted Island Bay Resort and are pursuing legal action against Rivas, the Galveston Police Department, and the University of Texas Medical Branch hospital, alleging that the police did not intervene effectively and that hospital staff refused treatment based on the victims' involvement in the incident.
Attorney Adalberto Ruiz raised concerns about the potential for Rivas to be hired by another agency.
"Despite numerous uniformed officers being able to take control of the situation, they didn't," Ruiz said. "They just added to the chaos and confusion."
The district attorney's office said in a statement how "The investigation of this incident involves many witnesses and several allegations. As with all investigations, our Office will take the time necessary to ensure that the investigation is thorough and conducted properly."
