The Tennessee Star has acquired a bodycam image from a December 2022 traffic stop of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national and alleged MS-13 gang member accused of human trafficking.

The photo, previously unreleased to the public, shows Garcia during a stop by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, where the officer suspected he was trafficking seven individuals across state lines from Texas to Maryland.

The Tennessee Star reports, referencing law enforcement sources, that the THP officer discovered Abrego Garcia operating a 2001 Chevrolet without a valid license.

After detaining him, the officer contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which then instructed the troopers to release both the suspect and his passengers.

The bodycam picture, taken from the passenger side of the car, depicts Abrego Garcia in the driver’s seat, looking at the officer, while one of the alleged smuggled passengers looks straight ahead.

Inside the vehicle, only minimal personal belongings, including a plastic bag and a water bottle, were visible, consistent with reports that this was not a family trip but an illegal operation.

The Tennessee Star submitted an Open Records Request to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) for all body and dashcam footage, officer reports, and dispatch logs. The department has not yet officially confirmed receiving the request.

So, can we find out exactly who at the FBI directed their release and why?

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