Incident Database

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Oct. 22, 2024: Pending

Dec. 6, 2024: Objected to

Dec. 10, 2024: Dropped
Legal order target →: Institution
Legal order venue →: State

Local official angered by coverage threatens Texas newspaper on social media

Incident Details

Date of incident: September 15, 2024
Location: Galveston, Texas
Targets: Scott McLendon (The [Galveston] Daily News), The [Galveston] Daily News

Chilling Statement

Student journalist sues Texas university after firing and suspension

Incident Details

Date of incident: September 13, 2024
Location: Dallas, Texas
Case number: 1:26-cv-02546
Targets: Gregorio Olivares Gutierrez (The [University of Texas at Dallas] Mercury)
Case status: Ongoing
Type of case: Civil

Other Incident

Indian journalist assaulted during interview; phone taken, recording deleted

Incident Details

Date of incident: September 7, 2024
Location: Irving, Texas
Targets: Rohit Sharma (India Today [India])

Assailant →: Private individual
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Equipment damaged →: Cellphone, 1

Work product, 1
Actor →: Private individual

Legal journalist may publish revenge porn plaintiff’s name after prior restraint overturned

Incident Details

Date of incident: June 20, 2024
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Targets: Eugene Volokh (The Volokh Conspiracy)

Status of prior restraint →: Struck down
Mistakenly released materials? →: Yes

Texas TV reporter injured at campus protest when sheriff’s deputy struck camera

Incident Details

Date of incident: May 1, 2024
Location: Richardson, Texas
Targets: Blake Hanson (KDFW)

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Unknown

Broadcast reporter charged following investigation of protest arrest

Incident Details

Updated on: June 24, 2025
Date of incident: April 26, 2024
Location: Austin, Texas
Targets: Carlos Sanchez (KTBC)

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Texas Department of Public Safety
Charges →: Assault: assault against a peace officer

April 26, 2024: Charges pending

April 29, 2024: Charges dropped

Assault: assault against a peace officer

April 30, 2024: Charges pending

June 24, 2025: Charges dropped

Obstruction: impeding a public servant

April 30, 2024: Charges pending

June 24, 2025: Charges dropped
Detention date →: May 1, 2024
Unnecessary use of force? →: No

Legal orders →: warrant for other

April 26, 2024: Pending

April 29, 2024: Dropped

warrant for other

April 30, 2024: Pending

May 1, 2024: Carried out
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: State

Photographer arrested while filming pro-Palestinian protest at University of Texas

Incident Details

Updated on: June 24, 2025
Date of incident: April 24, 2024
Location: Austin, Texas
Targets: Carlos Sanchez (KTBC)

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Texas Department of Public Safety
Charges →: Trespassing: criminal trespass

April 24, 2024: Charges pending

April 25, 2024: Charges dropped
Detention date →: April 24, 2024
Release date →: April 25, 2024
Unnecessary use of force? →: Yes

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Photojournalist violently arrested while documenting UT Austin protest

Incident Details

Date of incident: April 24, 2024
Location: Austin, Texas
Targets: Joseph Rushmore (Freelance)

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Texas Department of Public Safety
Charges →: Trespassing: criminal trespass

April 24, 2024: Charges pending

April 25, 2024: Charges dropped
Detention date →: April 24, 2024
Release date →: April 25, 2024
Unnecessary use of force? →: Yes

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: No

Student photojournalist knocked down by police at UT Austin protest

Incident Details

Date of incident: April 24, 2024
Location: Austin, Texas
Targets: Manoo Sirivelu (The [University of Texas at Austin] Daily Texan)

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: No

Independent journalist arrested, injured while covering Texas protest

Incident Details

Date of incident: March 8, 2024
Location: Austin, Texas
Targets: Jeff Zavala (Independent)

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Austin Police Department
Charges →: Traffic violation: stopping, standing, or parking prohibited in certain places

March 8, 2024: Charges pending

March 11, 2024: Charges dropped

Obstruction: resisting arrest, search, or transportation

March 8, 2024: Charges pending

June 27, 2024: Charges dropped
Detention date →: March 8, 2024
Release date →: March 9, 2024
Unnecessary use of force? →: Yes

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Equipment damaged →: Camera equipment, 1

Recording equipment, 1
Actor →: Law enforcement

Texas attorney general subpoenas Media Matters after report on X

Incident Details

Updated on: August 18, 2026
Date of incident: December 1, 2023
Location: Austin, Texas
Case number: 1:24-cv-00147
Targets: Media Matters for America
Case status: Withdrawn
Type of case: Civil

Legal orders →: other for communications or work product

Dec. 1, 2023: Pending

Dec. 11, 2023: Objected to

April 12, 2024: Quashed
Legal order target →: Institution
Legal order venue →: State

Chilling Statement

Judge sets aside Texas magazine’s subpoena in murder case

Incident Details

Date of incident: October 5, 2023
Location: Dallas, Texas
Targets: D

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Oct. 5, 2023: Pending

Oct. 19, 2023: Objected to

Nov. 16, 2023: Quashed
Legal order target →: Institution
Legal order venue →: State

Texas TV station subpoenaed in murder case; order set aside

Incident Details

Date of incident: October 5, 2023
Location: Dallas, Texas
Targets: KTVT

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Oct. 5, 2023: Pending

Oct. 20, 2023: Objected to

Nov. 16, 2023: Quashed

subpoena for communications or work product

Oct. 5, 2023: Pending

Oct. 19, 2023: Dropped
Legal order target →: Institution
Legal order venue →: State