A Texas man has been arrested and charged following a violent altercation that erupted during a student protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the city of Buda, according to police.
The Buda Police Department said 45-year-old Chad Michael Watts, of Kyle, was charged Tuesday with two counts of assault causing bodily injury, both Class A misdemeanors, after investigators determined he was the primary aggressor in the incident.
Police said the fight occurred Monday afternoon shortly before 3 p.m. during what officers described as a student “walkout” protest involving students from Moe and Gene Johnson High School. Officers were dispatched after receiving reports of a fight in progress near the protest site.
According to police, the incident began as a verbal argument between an adult male seated in a vehicle and a juvenile female standing on the sidewalk. Authorities said the argument escalated into a physical confrontation that quickly drew in multiple individuals.
By the time officers arrived, the adult male had left the immediate scene. Both the adult male and the juvenile female were identified and interviewed, but no arrests were made initially because officers did not witness the altercation firsthand.
Following additional investigation, police said they determined that Watts initiated the physical confrontation. Investigators established probable cause to charge him with two counts of assault causing bodily injury.
Watts was taken into custody and booked into the Hays County Jail, where jail records as of Wednesday morning showed no bond had been set and no release date listed.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges could still be filed.
Multiple videos of the fight circulated online, capturing different portions of the incident. One video shows an adult male exiting his vehicle and striking a female as the confrontation moves from the street onto a grassy area.
Another video filmed at close range appears to show the man holding a MAGA hat while swinging at and pushing a female before she falls to the ground.
Buda police emphasized that viral videos may not show the full context of the incident.
“We see that all the time in law enforcement — that videos start at the 10-second mark,” said Matt Schima, a public information officer with the Buda Police Department. “What happened in the first 10 seconds? That’s very important as to what happened for the rest of the video.”
Schima said investigators are seeking original video footage and firsthand witness accounts to establish a complete timeline and preserve proper evidentiary chain of custody.
Police said it remains unclear why the adult male exited his vehicle or what prompted the initial confrontation. That aspect of the case is still under review.
