The U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick filed federal charges against Elmer Rolando Manzano-Martinez, the illegal immigrant who killed Sgt. Harold Preston Tuesday morning. Patrick was concerned that local charges against the felon cop killer would not be enough to hold him after his release from the hospital. Wednesday evening, the U.S. Attorney posted a thread on Twitter to update his actions in this case.

Patrick explains that the local authorities had not filed any charges against Elmer Manzano as of Wednesday morning. He concluded that rather than wait and hope that local officials do their job he went ahead and took action himself. He notes that “many times” last summer charges were filed on “capital murder defendants who were realized with few conditions and were still a threat to safety or those with new law violations who were left on bond.” Ah, yes. The threats to public safety that have arisen due to the Democrats’ “reform” of bail and the result that dangerous criminals end up right back out on the streets after an arrest under the guise that the bail reforms only affect misdemeanor charges.

More charges could be added as the investigation continues. So far, Patrick has filed felony firearm charges.

My office has charged Elmer Manzano with being an alien in possession of a firearm and as a felon in possession of a firearm.

— US Attorney Ryan Patrick (@USAttyPatrick) October 21, 2020

I have little faith that local charges could be sufficient to hold him. Multiple times this summer filed on capital murder defendants who were realized with few conditions and were still a threat to safety or those with new law violations who were left on bond.

— US Attorney Ryan Patrick (@USAttyPatrick) October 21, 2020

This morning, when I saw local charges had not yet been filed there was added urgency to make sure Manzano didn’t walk out of the hospital.

— US Attorney Ryan Patrick (@USAttyPatrick) October 21, 2020

He didn’t want Manzano to just walk out of the hospital. That is an amazing statement from the U.S. Attorney – he is concerned that a cop killer will just be discharged from the hospital and walk out, without any charges holding him. He has offered his office’s help on such federal offenses in past months.

For three years I have been communicating with my local chiefs, sheriffs and constables that if they have a gun, drug, or other case where we can help make a local impact, we will.

— US Attorney Ryan Patrick (@USAttyPatrick) October 21, 2020

I know every sheriff and chief has a different mission in their community. Cases like felons in possession of ammunition is a federal offense and we will step in and file that. With over 200 federal prosecutors covering 43 counties from Walker to Webb were here to help.

— US Attorney Ryan Patrick (@USAttyPatrick) October 21, 2020

Kudos to the U.S. Attorney for stepping up. The police chief, meanwhile, is busily slow-walking the process. And he is sounding pretty defensive about the presence of illegal immigrants in Houston. He said that HPD is “not the immigration police”. They only ask about immigration status if the situation becomes obvious that the question must be asked. For example, he spoke about a police stop of a van that then turns into a situation where many people are coming out of the vehicle and running away. That is likely a human trafficking scene. It is unclear if Manzano was asked about his immigration status when police responded to a call about domestic violence last weekend but not held, charges were not made against him. The officer, by the way, turned out to be the one wounded in Tuesday’s violent attack on police. Manzano went on to escalate his anger Tuesday which resulted in one dead cop and one wounded. His 14-year-old son was also shot when he opened the door of the apartment. Why his juvenile son was allowed to open the door with police on the scene has not been explained. That is a part of the investigation, according to the police chief.

Manzano is in Texas illegally from El Salvador. He has been in Texas since 1989. He has a long criminal record. The reporting says that he threatened his wife will reporting her as an illegal immigrant if she left him with their son. This whole story is bad, all the way around.

Manzano was officially charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder on Wednesday. The other charges by the U.S. Attorney’s office should act as insurance that he isn’t released out into the public again.