On Friday, October 20, in a Bexar County courtroom in San Antonio, Texas, an 18-year-old man accused of a May 2022 murder faced an unexpected assault.

Victor Rivas was at the court for a preliminary hearing when family members of the deceased victim, 15-year-old Ethan Soto, launched a sudden attack on him. The family members, driven by emotions related to the murder of their young relative allegedly by Rivas, jumped a partition and began physically confronting the accused.

Last year, Rivas was believed to have murdered Soto as retaliation for a drug-related robbery. As the court waited for the preliminary hearing to begin, emotions ran high among Soto’s family members, leading to the violent outburst against Rivas.

The lawyer defending Rivas, Adam LaHood, stated that Rivas is expected to be “bruised and swollen” from the attack. However, he confirmed that there were no major injuries. It remains uncertain what exactly sparked this sudden act of aggression in a place that is supposed to ensure safety and order.

After the assault on Rivas, the authorities detained four individuals. The Bexar County sheriff’s office stated that two adult men and two juveniles are now in custody. These individuals are expected to be charged with assault and with interrupting courtroom activities.

This is not the first instance of a courtroom disturbance in Texas in recent times. Just last week, in a Harris County courtroom in Houston, Texas, family members of a 16-year-old murder victim attempted to assault her ex-boyfriend as he was entering a guilty plea for her killing.

Both events, in Bexar County and Harris County, highlight the growing concerns about the safety and security within courtrooms. The incidents are now causing many to question the effectiveness of current courtroom security measures.