Author: KVIA

Gabrielle Lopez

UPDATE (Sep. 1, 2026): A 21-year-old El Paso man died in Monday’s crash in East El Paso, according to police.

Police said a Mazda drove west on Pebble Hills Boulevard while a Kawasaki motorcycle drove west at a high rate of speed.

The driver of the Mazda allegedly failed to yield the right of way while turning left, and hit the motorcyclist.

Police said the motorcyclist, Eric Scott Spink, was thrown from his bike and died to his injuries.

According to the police report, the driver of the Mazda had two children in the SUV at the time of the crash.

Police said contributing factors in the crash include failure to yield the right of way and high speed.

This is the 40th traffic death this year, police said, compared to 41 at this time last year.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — One person is in the hospital with serious injuries after a motorcycle crash in East El Paso, the El Paso Fire Department said Monday.

It happened near the intersection of Pebble Hills Boulevard and Castle Woods Drive, according to El Paso police.

Police said a call for the crash came in around 3:22 p.m.

(Courtesy: KVIA)

The El Paso Police Department’s Special Traffic Investigators is now responding to the crash.

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Hillary Floren

TULAROSA, N.M. (KVIA) — Hootie, the baby great horned owl found in April at a Tularosa lavender farm, is no longer a baby. She has great big, strong wings and used them to fly to freedom in the wild for the first time.

We first brought you Hootie’s story when she was rescued. She learned to fly and hunt at the Gila Wildlife Rescue in Silver City.

That months-long process ended successfully, and Hootie is back at Floren Family Farmfs in Tularosa, New Mexico.

Hootie, the great horned owl.

A small crowd gathered to watch the breathtaking moment Hootie took to the skies. Others marveled at her wing size and bright yellow eyes.

“It brought tears to my eyes,” Lisa Schydlower said. She was one of the many helping hands in the rescue process. She helped drive Hootie to Second Chance Wildlife in El Paso shortly after she was found.

“It’s like picturing a little baby growing into this beautiful adult, or teenager I guess, and going off to live their life knowing she’s safe and healthy,” Schydlower said.

Hootie, a great horned owl, soared to freedom after recovering with Borderland wildlife organizations.

This is just one success story. Thursday, tune in to ABC-7 to see this majestic bird take flight, and meet the people behind thousands of rescue stories similar to Hootie’s.

Watch “Soaring to Freedom” Thursday on ABC-7 at 6.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso County Coliseum made more than $1.5 million in ticket sales during May, according to the El Paso Sports Commission. Within the month, the coliseum set a record with its highest-grossing combat sports event ever.

The venue also saw more than 33,000 guests throughout the month.

Disney on Ice: Road Trip Adventures attracted a majority of May’s visitors, the Sports Commission said. During the May 6-10 performances, 21,371 people watched some of Disney’s iconic characters take over the coliseum.

The ice skating spectacular generated $674,076 in ticket sales revenue, officials said.

In a highly anticipated rematch between boxers Stephanie Han and Holly Holm, the coliseum generated $610,990 in ticket revenue, officials said. The match marked the highest-grossing and best-selling combat sports event in the coliseum’s history. The Sports Commission said 7,225 people watched as Han defeated Holm, retaining her WBA lightweight title.

The boxing event made more than a local impact. The sports commission said 21% of the event’s tickets were bought outside the El Paso market. With national recognition, the match drove economic activity through hotel stays, dining, transportation and retail in the area.

Cazzu, an Argentine rapper and singer, drew a sold-out performance of 4,734 fans, the Sports Commission said. Her performance generated $260,020.50 in ticket sales revenue.

Outside of ticketed events, the coliseum provided a space for local programs and events throughout May, including car seat safety checks and art markets. The Sports Commission said local programming wasn’t included in the revenue and attendance data.

“The success of May 2026 reflects the Coliseum’s continued role as the Borderland’s premier entertainment and community gathering destination,” said Janet Vargas, President for the El Paso Sports Commission.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Horizon City Police Department said it arrested and charged two juveniles Sunday with evading arrest on electric bicycles.

At 8:31 p.m., police went to Duanesburg Street for a burglary report, the department said. Officers received video footage showing three masked people allegedly trying to enter a home in the neighborhood, which is near Horizon Boulevard and Darrington Road.

The suspects allegedly left the area on electric bicycles before officers arrived, police said.

Horizon police later found three people on e-bikes near Kenazo Avenue and Horizon Boulevard, which is about a 10 minute walk from the home on Duanesburg.

Police said the trio matched the descriptions of the masked suspects. When officers tried to contact them, they allegedly left the area again.

The suspects ran away through neighborhoods, desert areas and commercial areas, Horizon police said. The police department asked the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety for assistance.

Authorities took two juveniles into custody after separate pursuits. The two were charged with evading arrest with a vehicle, evading arrest and reckless driving.

The juveniles were released to detention personnel. Their two e-bikes involved int the incident were impounded, police said.

The investigation into the reported burglary didn’t determine that any property was stolen, police siad.

Horizon police didn’t provide an update on the third person accused of leaving the reported burglary.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Two Horizon City parents were charged after deputies received a report about a small child walking alone in the street, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said.

According to EPCSO, a resident reported seeing the child walking alone on the 13800 block of Margaret Ponce Avenue in Far East El Paso on Aug. 26.

Investigators alleged 24-year-old Arely Soriano and 25-year-old Ivan Soriano left their 2-year-old and 10-month-old children alone while attending a party down the street. EPCSO said the parents drank alcoholic drinks while the children were alone.

EPCSO arrested and charged the parents with two counts of abandoning or endangering a child. They each received a $2,000 bond.

Deputies booked them into the El Paso County Detention Facility.

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Mia Tricarico

Travel the World at the El Paso Convention Center

From Friday through Sunday, fans can attend a free pop-up event at the El Paso Convention Center.

The pop-up, inspired by Karol G’s song, “Viajando Por El Mundo,” invites fans to explore interactive installations that reference the song’s lyrics.

According to Visit El Paso, fans will earn a custom stamp for each destination they complete at the convention center. The stamps go onto a collectible T-shirt.

The pop-up is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. However, doors will close at 3 p.m. due to long lines.

Dos and Don’ts

Karol G’s “Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour” is this weekend and UTEP wants to remind fans what’s allowed and prohibited in the Sun Bowl Stadium.

The Sun Bowl Stadium has a strict clear bag policy.

It can be a clear tote, purse or clutch, take a look at the permitted measurements of the bag.

Bags that aren’t allowed are:

Backpacks Camera cases Fanny packs  Purses

Items that are prohibited are:

Alcohol Outside food and drinks Glass or metal bottles Posters bigger than 11 in. by 17 in. Strollers GoPro or DJI Osmo

Items allowed include:

Collapsible umbrella Blankets Baby food in a plastic container Non‑professional still camera for personal use

You can find the full list of allowed and prohibited items, here.

UTEP also says only the north entrance is open for VIP ticket holders, but all entrances are open to standard ticket holders.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The University of Texas at El Paso Special Events team is gearing up for a busy weekend as Karol G brings her highly anticipated show to El Paso on Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday’s show is completely sold out, but limited tickets remain for Saturday night. Opening act Becky G takes the stage at 7:00 PM. The stadium is also preparing Karol G-themed concessions.

Here is everything you need to know before heading to the Sun Bowl Stadium

Essential Schedule & Timing

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Box Office open for ticketholder assistance. 10:00 a.m.: Campus parking lots open (including Goldmine and ADA lots). 2:00 p.m.: Recommended arrival time for general public. Merchandise tables open. 4:15 p.m.: VIP Check-in opens exclusively at the North Gate. 7:00 p.m.: Show starts with special guest Becky G opening.

UTEP officials noted that only 44% of attendees pre-load their tickets into their mobile wallets, creating massive bottlenecks at the gates.

Add to Wallet early: Fiber optic network upgrades have been added at all gates, but relying on cell service at entry can cause severe delays. Download your digital tickets to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before arriving on campus. Paper prints: Paper tickets are permitted, but only if they are issued by the University Ticket Center or Ticketmaster RFID tickets. Ticketmaster Support: Staff can assist at the box office with Ticketmaster purchases. They cannot resolve issues with third-party ticket resellers.

Parking & Rideshare

Parking Lots: Parking is available on both the North and South sides of campus starting at 10:00 a.m. There is no pre-paid parking option. Goldmine Parking: UTEP’s Goldmine Collective is managing parking efforts, with proceeds benefiting student-athletes. Rideshare Drop-Off: Uber and rideshare drop-offs are designated in Lot SB11. No Shuttles: Be prepared to walk! Campus shuttles won’t run this year. ADA Parking: Available starting at 10:00 a.m. Check your ticket for designated ADA sections.

Bag Policy & Heat Safety

Beat the Heat: Organizers urge fans not to show up excessively early without shade. Arriving around 2:00 p.m. provides the optimal balance for parking and entry without overexposure to the sun. Free Water: Hydration stations will be positioned around the property. Seamless Entry: Gates feature new seamless weapon detectors — no traditional metal detectors to keep lines moving quickly. Clear Bag Policy: Strict clear bag rules are in effect. Payment Methods: Concessions and ATMs accept both cash and credit card. Information Tents: If you get lost or need help, staff will be stationed at info tents throughout the campus.

Courtesy: UTEP Office of Special Events Courtesy: UTEP Office of Special Events

Find the full fan guide below.

Karol G fan guideDownload

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Carpio Griego

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – Vendors providing home improvement opportunities for both outdoor and indoor projects for homeowners make up the 2026 Home and Garden Show at the El Paso Convention Center on Saturday.

The ballroom is filled with additions to the home ranging from patio furniture and hot tubs or pools with turf to go with it to sheds and window options.

Businesses were also offering carpet, tiling, curtains or blinds for windows, even cookware including pots and pans and even utensils to buy.

Mattresses took up large amounts of floor space with even massage chairs for sale with staging of outdoor furniture and even stages for cooking demonstrations as well as vendors showing the advantages of their cookware.

Even smaller personal items including lawnmowers, grills and even personal accessories including wood carvings and jewelry were being sold.

Even the Humane Society of El Paso had a booth with adoptable pets as well as the ‘story’ of every pet at the Convention Center on Saturday.

This Home and Garden Show will last all weekend from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

It is free to attend this event with UTEP’s basketball mascot ‘Paydirt Pete’ scheduled to be at the event on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. and ‘Spike’ the Rhino of the El Paso Rhinos scheduled to appear on Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.

For more information, you can go to El Paso Live’s website here.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The U.S. Department of State established a specialized task force to target birth tourism schemes. It revoked more than 900 visas within its first few weeks of operation. Federal authorities are reviewing issued visas and travel records to identify noncitizens who lie to consular officials about their travel plans to give birth on U.S. soil.

Birth tourism occurs when foreign travelers apply for temporary tourist visas while concealing intent to give birth in the U.S., so their child acquires citizenship.

State Department officials said they view the practice as a “fraudulent scheme perpetrated against consular officers and taxpayers.”

The State Department is coordinating its visa enforcement efforts with the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and foreign law enforcement partners to analyze travel patterns, designated contacts and planned accommodations in the U.S.

ABC-7 spoke with Luke Ortega, deputy spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, who said how officials are reviewing visa information to identify birth tourism cases.

“What we do is we go through with a fine-tooth comb at all of the information that we receive from visa applicants and people who hold visas to ensure that they remain eligible for that visa,” Ortega said. “It’s something that we’re constantly doing; in the case of birth tourism, we’re looking very closely at their travel patterns, at the individuals that they might list as points of contact or locations, places where they will be staying in the United States to identify patterns that are indicative of birth tourism.”

The review process targets both pending applications and visas already issued to those who may currently be in the country.

“We are casting a very wide net,” Ortega said. “And yes, that can include people who are already in the United States. And when we make a revocation decision, we pass that information on to the Department of Homeland Security for them to take appropriate action.”

In addition to individual applicants, federal authorities are focusing on foreign networks and commercial rings that advertise birth tourism packages. Officials noted that foreign visitors engaging in birth tourism often fail to pay hospital bills, leaving local taxpayers to cover the medical costs.

“It’s important to understand that American citizenship is a sacred privilege,” Ortega said. “It’s not something that should be bought or sold or commodified by these services that are committing fraud to bring people into the United States and, most times, passing the costs on to the American taxpayer.”

The task force is part of a broader push by the State Department to increase visa revocations across all categories.

“We’ve already revoked the visas of more than 175,000 individuals since the beginning of the Trump Administration,” Ortega said. “The vast majority of these folks are people who are coming to the United States and breaking our laws; these are people who are driving around drunk, committing assault, committing burglary, drug crimes.”

Department of State officials emphasized that visa decisions are handled as national security matters intended to enforce immigration laws and safeguard local populations.

“Our actions are aimed at eliminating fraud in our visa system so that the entry and exit of foreigners into the United States is done in a regular and legal and orderly way,” Ortega said. “And that’s the important thing that we want to make sure that we are doing: we’re combating fraud and we are ending illegal immigration.”

“We are doing this in order ultimately to protect U.S. national security and U.S. communities,” he added.

“One of the biggest things that is the benefit for us is ensuring that we are protecting our communities, particularly by removing people who are breaking the law, who are abusing the law,” Ortega added. “As I mentioned, the majority of the visa revocations that we have seen are individuals who are getting arrested for crimes that would, I think, frighten and shock any person driving around drunk, assault, burglary.”

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Nina Gallegos

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – Texas State Representative Gina Hinojosa is in El Paso Monday ahead of the November election. She’s running for Texas governor against the incumbent Republican Greg Abbott.

Hinojosa will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. on data centers.

She is also scheduled to meet with UTEP students at 12 p.m. on the issues Texas college students face. The meet-and-greet is only open to UTEP students.

At 6 p.m., she will host a town hall at Firefighters Hall in East El Paso.

In response to Hinojosa’s time in El Paso and her stance on data centera, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s press secretary, Eduardo Leal, provided ABC-7 with this statement affirming his position on the matter, writing the following:

Governor Abbott’s top priority is to protect Texans’ safety and quality of life. He has directed Texas regulators to ensure data centers do not take water needed by communities or power needed by the Texas grid, do not disrupt neighborhoods or rural communities, lower electricity costs for consumers, and pay for their own electricity infrastructure. Any project that fails to meet these standards will be denied connection to the Texas grid. He has also called for eliminating data center sales tax breaks. Simply put, data centers must pay their own way, and Texans must come first. Governor Abbott will work with the Texas Legislature to codify these commonsense standards into law.

ABC-7 attended both Hinojosa’s press conference and her meeting with UTEP students, and will also be in attendance for her town hall in East El Paso to hear from both the state representative and concerned residents.

Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic candidate for Texas governor, has characterized data centers as the “fight of 2026.”

She joined El Paso residents raising concerns over the impact that technology developments have on local water resources.

Hinojosa stated that local communities should have a legal right to participate in decisions when companies construct facilities in their areas. The issue comes as the city of El Paso has already signed a contract with Meta for a data center project.

Hinojosa argued that community involvement in data center development should be mandatory under state law rather than discretionary.

She questioned the broader direction of state resource management while meeting with local residents. “Is this going to be a Texas that is by and for the people of Texas?” Hinojosa asked.

She emphasized her stance on corporate resource oversight, adding, “it shouldn’t be a request. it should be a requirement of the law.”

Hinojosa also pledged to protect household utility access from corporate consumption if elected.

“I will not tolerate, as governor turning off the water to communities, to households, so that these corporations can come here and guzzle all of it up,” Hinojosa said.

Local residents expressed concern regarding agricultural impacts in the region. De Anne Croucher, an El Paso resident and supporter of Hinojosa, highlighted the strain facing area livestock producers.

“Cattle ranchers can’t afford to grow crops to feed their cattle. They’re dying,” Croucher said.

Croucher also questioned how much authority a governor could exercise over development projects that local municipalities have already finalized, such as El Paso’s existing agreement with Meta.

“I don’t know how she’s going to stop it,” Croucher said. “Unless we can negotiate a new contract with meta about not putting in this data center. I don’t know if that’s possible.”

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Max Zepeda

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Americas High School Principal Nancy Torres said the school will resume its regular schedule starting Monday after a 14-year-old boy allegedly stabbed three other teens on campus Friday.

In the statement, Principal Torres said she would be “meeting with all students by grade level to provide support, reassurance, and important information as we come together as a school family.”

In addition, Principal Torres confirmed that students should expect “extra law enforcement on campus Monday morning.”

SISD and Principal Torres said counseling services will be available for students to receive guidance and a listening ear.

Torres also said the school will have a donation tent for the community to take water, snacks and color pencils for students’ activities. Donors can find the tent on Peter Cooper Drive.

As ABC-7 reported, the suspect faces three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and officials said one of the victims was airlifted to the hospital as a precaution. Authorities didn’t release any of the teens’ identities due to their ages.

Authorities didn’t confirm or deny whether the suspect attends Americas High School.

As of Friday afternoon, two of the victims have since been released from the hospital, according to authorities.

The stabbing put the school on a temporary lockdown and later on hold. The Socorro Independent School District later dismissed the students for the rest of the day.

Below is the full statement from Principal Torres:

Courtesy: Americas High School

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