El Pasoans weigh in on migrant pursuits near their neighborhoods

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- After multiple people were injured in a crash in far West El Paso, residents were quick to weigh in on migrant pursuits that have become more frequent.

Friday morning, nine people were injured following a pursuit involving a crash involving the Texas Department of Public Safety.

One nearby resident said he heard the moment the crash occurred.

"We were just getting up out of bed, and we heard a pretty long sustained crash sound. My wife ran to the window and the first thing she says 'Oh my God, Oh my God' there has been a crash and people are running. My wife saw people getting out of the vehicle and running into the neighborhood behind us," Mark Swafford, a nearby resident, told ABC-7.

Swafford said he is new to the neighborhood but has already witnessed two migrant pursuits.

"We thought, you know, it is pretty dangerous when these high-speed pursuits are happening in neighborhoods like this. I mean that could have been us or any family walking along this area that could have been injured," he said.

Sgt. Elliot Torres with the Texas DPS said pursuits are becoming more common. He said on average there are 2-3 pursuits a day.

Sgt. Torres said troopers are allowed to go into residential neighborhoods, but their main objective is public safety.

He said on average there drivers of these human smuggling schemes are paid anywhere between $200 to $1,000 to transport each migrant.

Nine migrants were discovered Friday morning following the incident.