Homeland Security Investigations Gave UT System Intelligence Report Before Fight Cancelation

Correction: Homeland Security Investigations provided an intelligence report to University of Texas System officials regarding the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Andy Lee Fight at the Sun Bowl Stadium and then the report was sent to UTEP officials. Information in Thursday’s story incorrectly reported the chain of events of how the information was passed on.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) provided University of Texas System officials with an intelligence report before the University of Texas chancellor canceled the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Andy Lee fight on June 16 at the Sun Bowl Stadium citing concerns of safety.

University officials have been avoiding questions regarding the cancellations and refer reporters to the following statement issued by the UT system Tuesday:

“A specific event risk assessment was performed and the conclusion was that the risk was higher than normal. Based on this assessment, the decision was made that the university and Sun Bowl would not be an appropriate venue for this specific event. The decision was not made by the UT System Board of Regents. It was made by University of Texas System Administration officials.

“Furthermore, this decision should not be generalized to other events at UTEP or other UT institution facilities. If there was an elevated risk determination associated with any event hosted by the other 14 UT institutions, the same decision would have been made.”

ABC-7 still has questions for university officials, especially after federal and local law enforcement officials condemned the cancellation during a news conference this week.

“We know of no known, credible, specific or direct threat to this event,” said FBI Special Agent In Charge Mark Morgan.

HSI was not at that news conference and ABC-7 has learned its intelligence report could have influenced the chancellor’s decision.

ABC-7’s source explained HSI carries out intelligence reports every time a high profile event is announced in the borderland that is expected to attract a large crowd of people. The source said HSI shares the results with the law enforcement agency that is in charge of the venue but added the intelligence report does not include any kind of recommendation whether to cancel or keep the event.

Director of police for the UT system, Michael Heidingsfield. Heidingsfield did not respond to interview requests submitted by ABC-7 through the Public Affairs office.