BUDA, Texas — Buda police have arrested 45-year-old Chad Michael Watts of Kyle after a physical altercation with high school students during a walkout protest against federal immigration enforcement Monday afternoon.
Officers charged Watts on Tuesday with two counts of assault causing bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor, after reviewing video and witness accounts showing the clash outside Moe and Gene Johnson High School near RM 967 and FM 1626.
The incident unfolded around 3 p.m., when protesters from Hays Consolidated Independent School District were marching along RM 967, part of a broader series of student walkouts across Central Texas.
Video widely shared online captured an exchange between Watts and a female student that escalated into a physical struggle before other students intervened; police later identified Watts as the “primary aggressor” and sought original video and witness information as the investigation continues.
The student reported minor injuries and declined medical treatment on scene, and authorities are urging anyone with unedited footage to contact Buda Police or Hays County Crime Stoppers.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube