5 Officers, 7 Detention Center Staff Quarantined In Texas After Arrest Of Suspect With COVID-19

A dozen law enforcement officials in Texas found themselves in quarantine Friday after the arrest of a suspect who tested positive for COVID-19.

The Wednesday arrest at an H-E-B grocery store in Corpus Christi followed a disturbance, details of which were not released. The suspect reportedly struggled with officers and made it difficult “to maintain proper personal protective equipment during the arrest.”

The suspect, whose identity was withheld, was taken to the Corpus Christi City Detention Center, but was released shortly after arriving.

After the suspect’s release, the Nueces County Public Health District contacted police and the detention center to inform them the suspect had tested positive for COVID-19. The suspect was tested during the weekend and reportedly had been informed Monday, but did not tell police or detention center staff of the test.

In Nueces County, there have been 147 confirmed cases and 3 deaths from the pandemic.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the five police officers and seven CDC (City Detention Center) staff members who came in contact with the individual will be tested and quarantined while waiting for their test results,” Corpus Christi officials said in a public statement.