UPDATE:
The investigation continues into the actions of a Bexar County Sheriff’s detention lieutenant after she attended the insurrection on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
Sheriff Javier Salazar told reporters on Friday that video shows 46-year-old Roxanne Mathai remained in the crowd after — what appears to be — tear gas was fired. She could be heard saying she was not scared of tear gas.
Salazar said the question is whether or not she took part in an illegal assembly.
“If indeed that's the case, and it's determined that she remained on the scene and began filming and making what I believe to be challenging kind of statements then I take that to mean she was breaking the law at that point in time,” he said.
Salazar said Mathai will be questioned by the internal affairs unit after a 14-day quarantine because he believes she attended a super spreader event.
Salazar said he and the FBI are examining video and her selfies.
PREVIOUS REPORTING:
A Bexar County Sheriff’s detention lieutenant is under investigation to determine her actions as pro-Trump extremists rioted on Capitol Hill on Wednesday night.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said he was shown screenshots on Thursday of 46-year-old Roxanne Mathai that show her presence in the crowds.
Salazar said he and the FBI are examining her selfies to determine if she took part in an illegal assembly.
“To know that somebody at some point that wore this uniform stood by and watched and took pictures, I don’t know what her general attitude was about that. That’s infuriating,” he said.
The sheriff said an internal affairs investigation is underway.
Salazar said Mathai is pictured in a red, white and blue ski mask in the selfies that also include images of another woman and riot control police on the steps of the Capitol.
The sheriff said one screenshot comment referred to the crowds moving towards the Capitol and another comment said people were entering the Capitol, but that she said she was not going to because she did not want to “catch a case,” which Salazar believes were her efforts to avoid criminal charges.
“If she stood by while first responders were assaulted, I can tell you it’s not just troubling, it’s downright infuriating,” he said.
Salazar said if wrongdoing is found, Mathai will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Salazar said Mathai was already on administrative leave since this past October for an alleged inappropriate relationship with an inmate at the adult detention center. The sheriff clarified that it was not a sexual relationship.
TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. If you value our commitment to the highest standards of responsible journalism and are able to do so, please consider making your gift of support today.
