George Alvarez killed eight people and injured 10 others when he lost control of his SUV in Brownsville

A Texas man has been charged with eight counts of manslaughter, after mowing down a group of people with his SUV near a homeless shelter.

George Alvarez killed eight people and injured 10 others.

Investigators revealed the driver lost control of his vehicle, but did not rule out the crash being intentional.

They are waiting for toxicology reports to determine if Alvarez was driving under the influence.

“Through the investigation, it was found that the SUV ran a red light. Lost control, flipped on its side, and struck a total of 18 individuals,” Brownsville Police Chief Felix Sauceda told a press conference.

“The driver of the vehicle later identified as George Alvarez had attempted to flee the scene after impact, but was held down by several individuals on scene.

“George Alvarez is a Brownsville local with an extensive rap sheet. He has been formally charged and arraigned with eight counts of manslaughter, ten counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.”

In a statement, the Venezuelan government called for an investigation into whether it was a crime of hate and xenophobia.