DALLAS — Sen. Ted Cruz alleged in his debate against Democratic challenger Colin Allred that a woman in Dallas was robbed and assaulted by a Venezuelan gang as they sparred over border security.
“I hear about it everywhere I go,” Cruz said of border security. “I hear about it in Dallas – the folks concerned about the Dallas woman who Venezuelan gangs broke into her house, tied her up, pistol whipped her with a gun…and robbed her.”
Here’s what we can verify about the robbery of a woman in the Briarwood neighborhood near Love Field:
Dallas police say four suspects robbed and assaulted a woman in the Briarwood neighborhood near Love Field late last month.
Dallas police responded to a home in the 4800 block of Elsby Ave. shortly after 10 p.m. Sept. 23 and say an investigation determined four unknown suspects robbed and assaulted a woman. There was no medical transport required, according to police.
Police sources tell WFAA there were rumors the incident was connected to the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua, but there is no indication the incident was gang-related.
According to Dallas police, one of the suspects involved, 28-year-old Manuel Hernandez-Hernandez, was arrested on Sept. 30.
This incident comes after police confirmed earlier this month that a viral video purporting to show a man beaten in Dallas that was rumored to be linked to Tren De Aragua was a year old and showed an isolated incident not linked to gang activity.
Dallas police did confirm at that time, though, that they’re investigating gang activity in the north Dallas area linked to Tren de Aragua.
Other recent reports of activity rumored to be linked to the gang across the country, including in Aurora, Colorado, and in Idaho have also been debunked by officials.