Police are investigating after gunshots were fired in front of the home of a city commissioner in Brownsville, Texas, amid political tensions over a controversial land deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The Brownsville Police Department said in statement that it is investigating a “shots fired incident” that occurred early Saturday morning, Sept. 5, in front of a Brownsville city commissioner’s residence. No injuries were reported.
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Police did not say if the crime was suspected of being politically motivated and added that investigators are working to determine the circumstances regarding the shooting and identify suspects.
SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft atop it’s Super Heavy booster launches March 6 on its eighth test at the company’s Boca Chica launch pad in Brownsville, Texas.
Brownsville Mayor John Cowen said the shooting was “deeply troubling” and acknowledged political tensions in the border city in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.
“Political intimidation and violence — real or attempted — have no place in Brownsville. Our elected officials, city staff, and every resident deserve to feel safe in their own homes, regardless of political disagreements,” Cowen said in a statement on his Facebook page.
Brownsville shooting follows SpaceX land vote
The shooting follows a unanimous vote by the Brownsville City Commission on Aug. 29 for the disannexation of more than 444 acres of land at the request of SpaceX, which has a rocket production, research and launch center named Starbase near Boca Chica Beach, outside Brownsville.
The deal with SpaceX was in exchange for $220 million from the rocket and aerospace company for water infrastructure that Cowen said is critical for the future water supply of a city that relies on Rio Grande reservoirs.
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The land, which would be purchased by SpaceX, was within the city limits but was not city-owned land and is privately owned by 48 families and trusts, Cowen said in a statement.
The vote took place in tense, six-hour special meeting on Aug. 29 with SpaceX pushing that there would be no deal if it was not approved that Saturday because of company timelines, The Brownsville Herald / MyRGV.com reported.
Opponents of the deal expressed concerns over SpaceX’s environmental impact, political influence and what they described as bullying tactics, The Brownsville Herald reported.
Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: ‘Deeply troubling’ Brownsville shooting follows SpaceX land vote
