Texas Hunters Walker Daugherty And Michael Bryant Blame Shootings On Immigrants

Two Texas hunters, Walker Daugherty and Michael Bryant, have been charged with “using deadly conduct by discharging firearms in the direction of others” after an investigation by Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez found that the pair had lied when they reported that gunshot wounds suffered by Daugherty and another hunter, Edwin Roberts, had been caused after the group came under attack by a group of immigrants who had illegally crossed the nearby Mexican border, as reported by CBS News.

Police report that the incident is thought to have begun when Daugherty came to believe that a recreational vehicle occupied by Roberts and his wife was being invaded by a group of “undocumented immigrants.” Shots were first fired when Daugherty entered Roberts’ trailer. Authorities believe that Daugherty shot Roberts, first, followed by Daugherty being shot by Bryant.

After 30 police officers investigated the ranch where the hunters were staying, no evidence of “cross-border violence” could be found. The shootings were said to take place near Candelaria.

John Iadarola, with The Young Turks, described the pastime as a “time-honored” American tradition, commented on the embarrassment the hunters likely felt after learning they had shot members of their own party and offered the possibility that Daugherty and Bryant conjured up “mythical” immigrants to save face with authorities.

“So, if someone is violently attacking you, do you have a conversation with them in the middle of all that?” Ana Kasparian considered the circumstances. “How do you know they’re undocumented immigrants?”

Kasparian pointed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s fear-mongering of immigrants, which includes plans for a wall running the entire length of the border between the United States and Mexico as previously featured by the Inquisitr, and openly wondered if the president’s rhetoric had helped to embolden the hunters to lie to authorities in order to cover up their mistakes.

“It’s embarrassing,” John Iadarola stated.

“Yeah, it’s embarrassing,” Kasparian replied. “but you know what’s even more embarrassing? Making up lies about undocumented immigrants.”

Iadarola asked if President Trump will call the story of the cover-up “fake news” and observed that some officials and observers “leap on” opportunities to connect incidents of violence to undocumented immigrants, such as a Facebook post written by Sid Miller, the Texas agriculture commissioner, in January, after the shooting took place, but before authorities had revealed that the injuries suffered by Daugherty and Roberts were the result of friendly fire.

“Walker is a man of God and is now a hero,” Miller’s now-deleted post was quoted by TYT. “This is why we need the wall and to secure our borders.”

The agriculture commissioner went on to explain that those who believe that undocumented immigrants illegally crossing the border from Mexico are “seeking a better future simply do no understand” the dynamics of the situation faced by those who live in border areas. He wrote of “violent criminals” and “drug cartels.” A retraction or apology on the part of Miller is elusive.

Ana Kasparian has previously reported on a net outflow of about 140,000 immigrants from the United States, back to Mexico, over recent years, while the total undocumented population in the country is thought to be near 11 million. The outflow of immigrants represents about 1.3 percent of the total population of undocumented people in the country, leaving the overall number more or less steady. Crime rates across the United States have, overall, fallen significantly over the past 10 years, causing Kasparian to pan the conclusions reached by those, such as President Donald Trump, who believe that a deluge of Mexican “rapists” and “killers” has been flooding the country, as previously featured by the Inquisitr.

Kasparian noted that, as a female journalist with a public presence, she is the subject of a disturbing number of “rape threats” and other harassment, on social media by predominantly white males, a group that seems to have a number of members who report a high level of discomfort with undocumented immigrants, believing that many are “rapists” and capable of other criminal acts.

Iadarola deadpanned the seemingly absurd view of some online trolls with regard to the threat of rape and other crimes perceived from Muslim immigrants and refugees borne by women in the United States, stating “so you [Kasparian] should be raped.”

Ana Kasparian noted that, as a target of online abuse, and an “adult” with an understanding of “nuance,” she hasn’t concluded that “all white men are dangerous,” which may be analogous to what some who harbor malice against undocumented immigrants appear to be doing.

[Fetured Image by Sandra Mu/Getty Images]