Police say there were around 100 people in the trailer, found in the late afternoon on Monday. The individuals have been described as migrants. One local reporter called it a possible human smuggling case.
Border patrol officers were spotted arriving at the scene around 8 p.m. First responders were already attending to the victims and were spotted using thermal imaging along footpaths in the woods and along a nearby railroad track, apparently searching for individuals who may have left the truck.
Monday was a particularly hot day in San Antonio, with temperatures reaching 101 F around 3pm, according to Weather Underground. The truck was found in a secluded area of San Antonio. It was initially reported that 25 individuals in the trailer were dead, but that number has quickly risen. It is expected that the number will continue to rise, with some suggesting it could exceed 50. An investigation is underway.
The truck was discovered sometime before 7 p.m. (CDT).
Texas Governor Greg Abbott blamed President Biden for the deaths. “These deaths are on Biden.” The Republican Governor wrote on Twitter “They are a result of his deadly open border policies.”
As Twitter user Texas Blueblone pointed out, if the United States actually had an open-border policy, there would be no need for migrants to sneak through in a truck during the heat of summer.