Kids in video of El Paso police officer pointing gun at them arrested in Ascarate burglary

Daniel Borunda | El Paso Times

Show Caption Hide Caption An El Paso mother discusses the incident in which a police officer pointed a gun at children Elizabeth Flores on July 8, 2018, discusses an incident in South-Central El Paso in which a police officer pointed a gun at children July 5, 2018, in front of the Seville Recreation Center, 6700 Sambrano Ave.

A viral video of an El Paso police officer pointing a gun at cursing children has resulted in the arrests of juveniles suspected in burglaries at Ascarate Park, officials said Tuesday.

El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles said that deputies investigating the break-ins recognized the children in the viral video from burglary footage recorded by security cameras at the county-run park.

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Six of the seven juveniles arrested on a burglary charge were seen in the video of the police confrontation that gained national attention, Wiles said.

The cellphone video showed a police officer point his gun at children on July 5 while trying to detain a rowdy group outside the Seville Recreation Center, 6700 Sambrano Ave., in a neighborhood north of Ascarate Park.

The juveniles arrested were two 12-year-old boys; three boys ages 13, 14 and 15; and two girls, ages 12 and 16, Wiles said at a news conference aired online by Channel 14-KFOX.

The children were charged with burglary of a building after being accused of breaking into a park toll booth at 10:50 p.m. July 2, Wiles said. A key was taken during the burglary, he said.

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The juveniles also are suspected in vandalism and a break-in July 6 at the park pool and a softball equipment storage shed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., Wiles said.

The pool and softball storage case is under investigation, the sheriff added.

"Deputies seeing the video in the toll booth recognized the kids in the viral video involved in the burglary," Wiles said.

The names of the children were not released because they are juveniles.

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The video showed a heated confrontation as an El Paso police officer attempts to detain a group while responding to a call about juveniles trespassing at a vacant apartment, according to court documents.

The officer detains a boy who is sitting on the sidewalk, pushing him up against a rock wall, while other boys curse at the officer, who pulls out his gun and points it, telling the boys to back up before placing the gun back in its holster and taking out a baton.

El Paso police Chief Greg Allen said last week that the incident in under investigation by internal affairs and will be examined by the discipline review board made up of police and civilians.

The Ascarate Park investigation was separate from the incident in the viral video, Wiles said.

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In his more than 25 years in law enforcement, Wiles commented that it was very rare to have children that age yell at police in the manner seen in the video.

Parents should do their part to keep children out of trouble even if the juvenile justice system is geared to help young people get on the right path, Wiles added.

"At 11 o'clock at night, a 12-year-old being out seems a little unusual to me," Wiles said. "Once they hit 17 (which is considered an adult in Texas), they hit the adult system and then there is no turning back."

Daniel Borunda may be reached at 546-6102; dborunda@elpasotimes.com; @BorundaDaniel on Twitter.