BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS: Victor Nathaneal Rivas, 18, a murder suspect on trial was viciously attacked by the family of his alleged victim, Ethan Soto, 15, in a Texas courtroom on Friday, October 20.
Reports and videos show the victim's family jumping over a partition and punching Rivas who was handcuffed and unable to defend himself.
Why was Victor Nathaneal Rivas beaten in court?
Rivas reportedly provoked the relatives of Soto by making a gesture at them during a preliminary hearing, Daily Mail reports.
Police officers tried to separate the assailants from the accused killer while other people in the courtroom watched.
Judge Ron Rangel, administrative judge for the Bexar County criminal district courts, who presided over the hearing, said that courtrooms can become "powder kegs" when victims of violent crimes and their accused perpetrators are brought together.
"One little spark can ignite," he said.
Four people, including two adults and two juveniles, were arrested
Four people, including two adults and two juveniles, were arrested and charged with assault and disrupting court proceedings, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.
They will be charged with assault and disrupting court proceedings, BCSO officials said as per KSAT.
Rangel also said that he had to press the panic button after the brawl broke out and that it was unlikely that any of the people charged would be allowed to attend future court hearings.
Rivas's attorney, Adam LaHood told KSAT that the outburst was "certainly unexpected" and "not something you ever want to see happen".
LaHood said they were in Court on Friday for a routine preliminary hearing.
What is Victor Nathaneal Rivas accused of and how did he kill Victor Nathaneal Rivas?
Rivas is accused of shooting Ethan Soto to death in May 2022 in what appeared to be revenge for a drug robbery according to Sant Antonio police.
Soto had allegedly stolen THC cartridges from Rivas, who later lured him into a trap by asking an underage girl to set up a drug deal with him.
Soto's mother had tried to resolve the conflict by paying Rivas for the cartridges that Soto had taken, but Rivas still shot at Soto during an altercation.
Soto survived that attack, but was killed by Rivas the next day when he went to meet the girl who had arranged the drug deal with him.
Rivas, who was 17 at the time of his alleged crime was arrested in August 2022 and charged with murder.
