The Holguin family’s troubles with the El Paso Police Department began in 2022, when Adzari Holguin, then a high school senior, was asked by a relative to film the police while they responded to a call about a domestic dispute. According to the Holguins, police became aggressive upon noticing Adzari was recording. Her father, Eddie Holguin, stepped in to escort his daughter home. The family alleges that the police then staged an illegal raid on the Holguin residence and arrested both Eddie and Adzari.
Following the raid, the Holguins filed a lawsuit seeking justice for what they allege was a violation of their civil rights. Now, they say the El Paso police are deliberately targeting their family.
The video embedded below from a recent Police Accountability Report episode examines the evidence and discusses what this case tells us about police conduct in America today. The report suggests that, in many places, police not only operate with virtual legal impunity but also conduct themselves more like a mafia than law enforcement.
The video transcript details how the El Paso Police Department began surveilling the Holguin family after they filed the lawsuit. A move by police, described as disturbing by the family, ended in yet another questionable set of charges and even more pain for the family.
Eddie Holguin described a series of events that began when his daughter, Adzari, was filming the police at the request of a relative. The family claims that the police reacted aggressively, leading to the raid and arrests.
After the charges of resisting and evading police were dropped, the family filed a lawsuit against the department. However, the Holguins allege that the police began a protracted investigation into their family, which they believe was a case of harassment.
In one incident, Adzari documented the police surveilling her driveway. She confronted them, but they refused to answer her questions. Later, the police pulled over Eddie and Adzari, claiming the insurance and registration on his work van had expired. Despite Eddie’s protests, the police arrested him, stating he had a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon—a charge Eddie denies.
Eddie’s injuries from previous police encounters were exacerbated during the arrest, leaving him unable to work and furthering his distrust and fear of the police. He described the emotional and financial toll this ongoing harassment has taken on his family.
The Holguins believe the recent actions of the El Paso Police Department are retaliation for their lawsuit. “I believe this has to do with the lawsuit,” Eddie Holguin said. “That’s what I believe… They don’t have no evidence against me. There’s nothing.”
Adzari echoed these sentiments, expressing anger and frustration towards the police. “How dare you live with yourself… knowing that you do what you do to us on a daily basis,” she said.
This case underscores the challenges many Americans face in holding police accountable and the potential for abuse of power within the system. The Police Accountability Report continues to investigate and bring these stories to light, advocating for systemic change and greater transparency in law enforcement practices.
Image: Screenshot from Police Accountability Report Video featuring footage by Adzari Holguin
Texas Reporter 