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Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Calls on the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Organize a Law Enforcement Task Force Including Federal and Local Authorities to Apprehend the Perpetrator in the Murder of Jazmine Barnes

January 9, 2019

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PRESS PICTURE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Robin K. Chand

January 4, 2019 202-225-3816

Press Statement

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Calls on the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Organize a Law Enforcement Task Force Including Federal and Local Authorities to Apprehend the Perpetrator in the Murder of Jazmine Barnes

Jackson Lee – "The circumstances surrounding Jazmine's murder, and A'vonta's shooting in 2017, are suspicious. Based on current information, and while the investigation is still pending, we cannot rule anything out, including whether this horrific incident constituted a hate crime. I call for the formation of a law enforcement task force—compromised of the Harris County Sheriff's Department, the Houston Police Department, the Houston Constables, the Texas Rangers, the United States Marshals and the F.B.I.—to investigate this murder to apprehend this suspect, ascertain the motive of this murder and the earlier shooting incident, and to bring answers and calm to a city, state and nation troubled by this murder."

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary, Budget and Homeland Security, Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, issued this statement following the release of a sketch of a suspect in the murder of Jazmine Barnes:

"The murder of Jazmine Barnes has captured the shock and outrage of our community. Last week, a white man in a red pick-up truck, unprovoked, shot a little girl dead as she and her family were leaving a Wal-Mart parking lot in Wallisville. Since this heinous murder occurred, and reminded all of us of the casual hate that lingers in society, many have been left searching for answers. Most pressing, of course is: who would do such a dastardly deed, and steal the life of a little girl?

"I am appreciative that the community has raised $100,000 as a reward to help apprehend the perpetrator(s) behind Jazmine's murder, especially given concerns that the circumstances surrounding this murder resembles another unsolved incident where an African American man was shot in 2017 near the same Wal-Mart parking lot as near where Jazmine was killed. The victim in that earlier incident, A'vonta Williams, was also shot by a man in a pickup truck, as was little Jazmine.

"The circumstances surrounding Jazmine's murder, and A'vonta's shooting in 2017, are suspicious. Based on current information, and while the investigation is still pending, we cannot rule anything out, including whether this horrific incident constituted a hate crime. I call for the formation of a law enforcement task force—compromised of the Harris County Sheriff's Department, the Houston Police Department, the Houston Constables, the Texas Rangers, the United States Marshals and the F.B.I.—to investigate this murder to apprehend this suspect, ascertain the motive of this murder and the earlier shooting incident, and to bring answers and calm to a city, state and nation troubled by this murder."

Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat representing the 18th Congressional District of Texas, is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary, Homeland Security and the Budget. She is a Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.