AUSTIN (NEXSTAR) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now looking into a Friday incident in Texas where supporters of President Donald Trump aggressively surrounded a Biden campaign bus on a Texas interstate, according to the Texas Tribune.
The incident, which was captured on video, happened on Interstate 35 in Hays County and prompted Democrats to cancel at least one campaign event Friday citing “safety concerns.”
Multiple clips posted on social media show a long line of vehicles flying Trump flags trailing the Biden-Harris bus as it traveled from San Antonio to Austin. In some images, the bus appears to be boxed in by the vehicles.
At least one video showed a minor collision during the incident. Pictures showed an SUV, believed to be driven by a Biden-Harris campaign staffer, with damage along the side of the vehicle.
On Saturday, Trump tweeted what appeared to be video of the caravan surrounding the the bus saying, “I LOVE TEXAS!”
Katie Naranjo, chair of the Travis County Democratic Party, tweeted that Trump supporters followed the bus in an attempt to intimidate Biden voters.
“They ran into a person’s car, yelling curse words and threats. Don’t let bullies win, vote,” she added.
The Kyle Police Department confirmed in a statement to KXAN they received reports around 4 p.m. Friday that indicated two or more vehicles may have made contact while traveling north on Interstate 35. Officers responded to the area but no vehicles stopped to share information with them.
“Members of what is believed to be a campaign bus for Kamala Harris as well as following vehicles with campaign staffers advised the Kyle Police Department via telephone that they did not intend to stop, so Kyle Police obtained contact information so contact could be made at a later time,” the emailed statement continued. It went on to say that the “vehicle contact” happened in San Marcos and that all involved parties are being referred to the San Marcos Police Department if they want to file a police report.
San Marcos police said the Biden-Harris bus requested a police escort, but due to excessive traffic officers were not able to catch the bus before it left the jurisdiction.
The police department also said it has researched the crash and watched online video. It said the “at-fault vehicle” may be the Biden-Harris staffer’s car, while the “victim” appears to be one of the Trump vehicles.
“The at-fault vehicle may be the white SUV and the victim appears to be the black truck,” a statement from SMPD reads.
“Calls to the driver of the white SUV have gone unanswered and SMPD has not been contacted by the driver of the black truck. Since SMPD has not spoken to either driver at this time, additional investigation would be required to fully ascertain who was at fault.”
“Where is the liberal corporate media’s concern about that real violence?” a statement from Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West said in part. “It is more fake news and propaganda. Prepare to lose…stop bothering me.”
The Texas Democratic Party said that some of the vehicles pulled in front of the bus and slowed down to try to bring it to a stop on the highway. It also confirmed law enforcement responded to the incident and helped the bus reach its destination.
In a Twitter thread, historian Eric Cervini, who said he traveled to Texas to help the Biden-Harris campaign, said the Trump supporters waited on I-35 to “ambush” the bus.
Tariq Thowfeek, Biden for President Texas communications director, said in a statement that Trump supporters put “our staff, surrogates, supporters and others in harm’s way.”
“To the Texans who disrupted our events: We’ll see you on November 3rd,” he added.
A spokeswoman with the FBI told KXAN they would have a statement as early as noon Sunday.
