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Coordinates: 31°46′54″N 106°23′28″W / 31.781593°N 106.390984°W / 31.781593; -106.390984
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== Incident ==
== Incident ==
The incident took place at a Walmart Supercenter near the [[Cielo Vista Mall]] on the east side of El Paso. The single shooter walked into the store carrying what is believed to be a [[WASR-10]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2019/08/03/el-paso-massacre-suspect-wrote-anti-immigrant-manifesto-before-attack-authorities-say|title=El Paso massacre suspect wrote an anti-immigrant 'manifesto' before the attack, authorities say|last=Branham|first=Dana|date=2019-08-03|website=Dallas News|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref> [[assault rifle|assault-style rifle]], a [[semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic]] civilian version of the [[AK-47]], and opened fire just before 10:40 a.m. local time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/03/el-paso-shooting-what-we-know-so-far|title=El Paso shooting: what we know so far|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> There were about 3,000 shoppers and 300 employees in the store at the time.<ref name=lat>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-08-03/el-paso-texas-reports-of-shooting|title=El Paso shooting: Suspect is in custody after shopping mall rampage; 20 are dead and at least 26 wounded|last=Hennessy-Fiske|first=Molly|date=August 3, 2019|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|language=en-US|access-date=August 3, 2019}}</ref>
The incident took place at a Walmart Supercenter near the [[Cielo Vista Mall]] on the east side of El Paso. The single shooter walked into the store carrying what is believed to be a [[WASR-10]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2019/08/03/el-paso-massacre-suspect-wrote-anti-immigrant-manifesto-before-attack-authorities-say|title=El Paso massacre suspect wrote an anti-immigrant 'manifesto' before the attack, authorities say|last=Branham|first=Dana|date=2019-08-03|website=Dallas News|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref> , a [[semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic]] civilian version of the [[AK-47]], and opened fire just before 10:40 a.m. local time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/03/el-paso-shooting-what-we-know-so-far|title=El Paso shooting: what we know so far|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> There were about 3,000 shoppers and 300 employees in the store at the time.<ref name=lat>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-08-03/el-paso-texas-reports-of-shooting|title=El Paso shooting: Suspect is in custody after shopping mall rampage; 20 are dead and at least 26 wounded|last=Hennessy-Fiske|first=Molly|date=August 3, 2019|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|language=en-US|access-date=August 3, 2019}}</ref>


An eyewitness claimed that the shooter was firing on customers in the parking lot before he entered into the building.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mediaite.com/news/fox-airs-harrowing-interview-with-woman-who-witnessed-el-paso-mass-shooting/|title=LISTEN: Harrowing Interview with Woman Who Witnessed El Paso Mass Shooting|last=Mannion|first=Connor|date=2019-08-03|website=Mediaite|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref> A Walmart employee told reporters that he believed that the gunman entered through the automotive section of the store.<ref name="nytAug3" /> Many eyewitnesses told reporters that they originally believed the gun fire to be roof construction or fireworks<ref name=":1" />, before being alerted by other customers or employees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/witness-to-el-paso-mass-shooting-says-children-warned-him-of-attack|title=Witness to El Paso mass shooting describes moments during attack|last=Newsource|first=C. N. N.|date=2019-08-03|website=KVII|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref>
An eyewitness claimed that the shooter was firing on customers in the parking lot before he entered into the building.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mediaite.com/news/fox-airs-harrowing-interview-with-woman-who-witnessed-el-paso-mass-shooting/|title=LISTEN: Harrowing Interview with Woman Who Witnessed El Paso Mass Shooting|last=Mannion|first=Connor|date=2019-08-03|website=Mediaite|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref> A Walmart employee told reporters that he believed that the gunman entered through the automotive section of the store.<ref name="nytAug3" /> Many eyewitnesses told reporters that they originally believed the gun fire to be roof construction or fireworks<ref name=":1" />, before being alerted by other customers or employees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/witness-to-el-paso-mass-shooting-says-children-warned-him-of-attack|title=Witness to El Paso mass shooting describes moments during attack|last=Newsource|first=C. N. N.|date=2019-08-03|website=KVII|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref>

Revision as of 05:17, 4 August 2019

2019 El Paso shooting
El Paso is located in Texas
El Paso
El Paso
El Paso (Texas)
El Paso is located in the United States
El Paso
El Paso
El Paso (the United States)
Location7101 Gateway West Blvd.
El Paso, Texas, United States
Coordinates31°46′54″N 106°23′28″W / 31.781593°N 106.390984°W / 31.781593; -106.390984
DateAugust 3, 2019
10 a.m.[1] (MDT (UTC−06:00))
Attack type
Mass shooting
WeaponsWASR-10[2]
Deaths20[1]
Injured26[1]

A mass shooting took place at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, United States, on the morning of August 3, 2019, at approximately 10 a.m. local time (18:00 UTC) resulting in the deaths of 20 people and at least 26 injured,[4][1] making it the deadliest shooting of 2019.[5] A single gunman is suspected of committing the shooting. He was apprehended by police shortly afterward and arrested. An ongoing FBI investigation suggests the shooting may have been a hate crime or act of domestic terrorism; no charges have been filed.[6]

A white nationalist manifesto, published prior to the shooting on the website 8chan's /pol/ board and titled The Inconvenient Truth, is believed with "reasonable confidence" by police to be written by the suspect.[7] The manifesto expresses support for and inspiration by the Christchurch mosque shootings, makes reference to the white genocide conspiracy theory as motivation behind the massacre, urges the Balkanization of the United States alongside racial lines, and rants against "race-mixing".[8] The suspect, 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, was a reported follower of alt-right and pro-Donald Trump content on social media.[9][10] Two law enforcement officers told ABC News that after Crusius was taken into custody, he told investigators that he wanted maximum Mexican casualties.[11][12]

Incident

The incident took place at a Walmart Supercenter near the Cielo Vista Mall on the east side of El Paso. The single shooter walked into the store carrying what is believed to be a WASR-10[13] , a semi-automatic civilian version of the AK-47, and opened fire just before 10:40 a.m. local time.[14] There were about 3,000 shoppers and 300 employees in the store at the time.[15]

An eyewitness claimed that the shooter was firing on customers in the parking lot before he entered into the building.[16] A Walmart employee told reporters that he believed that the gunman entered through the automotive section of the store.[17] Many eyewitnesses told reporters that they originally believed the gun fire to be roof construction or fireworks[16], before being alerted by other customers or employees.[18]

Calls to 911 began to come in to dispatchers, and first responders began to arrive within six minutes of the initial call.[19] The FBI's El Paso field office and the Dallas Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene along with the Texas Department of Public Safety.[17] Other first responders were off-duty police officers, and it was reported by the El Paso police chief that no officers fired their weapons when they responded to the scene.[15][4]

Victims

The shooting killed 20 people and injured 26 others.[4] Thirteen victims were taken to the University Medical Center of El Paso,[17] and another eleven to Del Sol Medical Center.[20] Two children, ages 2 and 9, were transferred from the former to El Paso Children's Hospital and their conditions were stabilized.[1] The Del Sol Medical Center patients were 35 to 82 years old.[17]

Three Mexican citizens were killed; six others were wounded.[21][22]

Suspect

Multiple news outlets, citing federal and state police, identified the suspect as 21-year-old white male Patrick Crusius of Allen, Texas.[17][20] He is in municipal police custody.[1] According to Bellingcat, the suspect's Twitter account portrayed a "relatively normal Trump-supporting Republican" up to April 2017, when the account stopped posting.[9]

Manifesto

"In general, I support the Christchurch shooter and his manifesto. This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas. They are the instigators, not me. I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion."

—Introduction of the manifesto, titled The Inconvenient Truth[23]

Police are "reasonably confident"[7] that a white nationalist manifesto, published prior to the shooting on the website 8chan's /pol/ board and titled The Inconvenient Truth, is linked to the suspect. The manifesto expresses support for and inspiration by the Christchurch mosque shootings, along with worry about "Hispanic invasion, automation, large corporations, and environmental degradation.[9][3][8] The manifesto cites the white supremacist theory of The Great Replacement for conducting the attack.[24] The New York Times characterized the manifesto as racially extremist, noting the passage: "Hispanics will take control of the local and state government of my beloved Texas, changing policy to better suit their needs." Although the manifesto criticizes both the Democratic Party and Republican Party, it expresses a specific concern that the "heavy Hispanic population in Texas will make us a Democrat [sic] stronghold".[17] The writer believed that the Democratic Party's appeal to the increasing Hispanics in the country would ultimately result in ensured Democratic Party dominance in the United States; a belief that has been spread on right-wing radio shows in past years.[24] Some politicians and the El Paso Police Chief mentioned the manifesto in updates with media outlets and press conferences in the early aftermath.[15][25] While the police have not confirmed the manifesto's authenticity, it was posted before the first public reports of the shooting and identifies the type of weapon used in the attack; the suspect's name was revealed in a separate document jointly uploaded in the same post.[9]

Aftermath

Following the shooting, the Texas Department of Transportation provided information on how to donate blood.[26] Police set up a reunification center at MacArthur Elementary-Intermediate School.[27]

Several funeral homes in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez announced they would provide funeral services for free to the families of the victims as a sign of solidarity for their community.[28] Ciudad Juárez's Rotary International's chapter organized a vigil in Ciudad Juárez. They gathered at a park and lightened candles and turned on cellphone lights in El Paso's direction as a sign of solidarity.[29]

Reactions

President Donald Trump was briefed about the situation; he promised that his administration would provide "total support", and offered "heartfelt thoughts and prayers".[26][30] El Paso Representative Veronica Escobar had to bring an El Paso town hall meeting to an early close due to the incident.[31] She urged fellow politicians to "come together, and once and for all address the gun violence epidemic that plagues our nation."[32] Texas Senator Ted Cruz issued a written statement, saying "[m]y heart is with everyone in El Paso struck by this unspeakable evil."[33] Thanks to first responders and law enforcement were also offered by Escobar and Cruz.[33][34] Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the shooting "a heinous and senseless act of violence."[26]

Multiple Democratic 2020 presidential election candidates called for political action to eliminate gun violence.[35] Beto O'Rourke cut his campaign tour short and returned to his hometown of El Paso, which he previously represented in Congress.[36] O'Rourke called for military-grade guns to be restricted to the "battlefield" instead of appearing "in our malls or in our schools or in our churches or in our synagogues". Cory Booker declared that it was "a uniquely American problem" to face such "mass slaughter" in communities.[32] Bernie Sanders lamented how the United States Senate "does nothing" in reaction to mass shootings.[35] Pete Buttigieg asked American leaders to reflect if they are ready to "stand up to the corporate gun lobby" and also the "evil of white nationalism" in the United States.[37]

Walmart issued a statement through Twitter, which confirmed the specific location of the shooting (Walmart store 2201) and stated that the company was "in shock over the tragic events at Cielo Vista Mall".[19]

The incident caused many celebrities and media figures to debate gun rights within the United States, and some called upon the perceived inaction of many political figures in stopping the large number of mass shootings within the United States.[38]

Mexico

Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed the death of three Mexican citizens on his Twitter account, and stated that the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) was assisting the Mexican victims. He also extended his condolences to the families of the victims, both Americans and Mexicans. SRE chief Marcelo Ebrard officially confirmed that six Mexican were wounded, and shared their names and ages on Twitter.[39] The government of the Mexican state of Chihuahua released a statement saying that Chihuahua residents and Mexican citizens affected by the attack would be assisted by Mexico's Executive Committee for Victims (Spanish: Comisión Ejecutiva de Atención a Víctimas). They issued a direct phone line for Mexican citizens to call if they needed assistance due to the attack.[40]

The Governor of Chihuahua Javier Corral Jurado offered his assistance to Abbott and El Paso mayor Dee Margo, and said that Chihuahua authorities were ready to assist in any capacity if needed by the U.S. government.[41] The Mexican Consulate in El Paso stated it would provide consular assistance, and it provided a direct phone line as well.[42] In addition, it sent personnel to visit the Mexican victims treated at the hospitals. The SRE confirmed that the consul Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de León would coordinate with El Paso and Ciudad Juárez officials.[43] The Municipal President of Juárez Héctor Armando Cabada Alvídrez said he was in contact with U.S. officials to confirm if there were any victims from Ciudad Juárez or other municipalities of Chihuahua.[44] Ebrard later confirmed that one of the six victims was from Ciudad Juárez. The rest of the victims were from Chihuahua municipality and Torreón, Coahuila.[45]

Former Mexican President Felipe Calderón offered his condolences on Twitter, and also directed a message against Trump. He said that notwithstanding if the attack was confirmed to be a hate crime or not, that Trump should stop his "hate speech" and "stigmatization".[46]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Blankstein, Andrew; Burke, Minyvonne (August 3, 2019). "El Paso shooting: 20 people dead, 26 injured, suspect in custody, police say". NBC News. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  2. ^ Santiago, Ellyn (August 3, 2019). "FBI Investigating Possible Manifesto in El Paso Walmart Shooting". Heavy.com.
  3. ^ a b Buncombe, Andrew (August 4, 2019). "Patrick Crusius: El Paso shooting suspect identified as 21-year-old, according to media reports". The Independent. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Texas Walmart shooting: Twenty killed in El Paso gun attack". BBC. August 4, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  5. ^ Chas Danner (August 3, 2019). "Everything We Know About the El Paso Walmart Massacre". New York Magazine, Intelligencer. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  6. ^ Romero, Simon; Fernandez, Manny; Padilla, Mariel (August 4, 2019). "El Paso Shooting: 20 People Are Dead in Massacre at Walmart". The New York Times.
  7. ^ a b Collins, Ben (August 3, 2019). "Investigators 'reasonably confident' Texas suspect left anti-immigrant screed, tipped off before attack". NBC News. Retrieved August 4, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  8. ^ a b Barrouquere, Brett (August 3, 2019). "El Paso Shooting Suspect May Have Authored Manifesto Containing White Nationalist Talking Points". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d Evans, Robert (August 4, 2019). "The El Paso Shooting and the Gamification of Terror". Bellingcat. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  10. ^ Politi, Daniel (August 3, 2019). "El Paso Suspect Reportedly a Trump Supporter Who Wrote Racist, Anti-Immigrant Manifesto". Slate. Retrieved August 4, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  11. ^ Hoyos, Joshua (August 3, 2019). "Reported Statement From Shooter". Twitter. Retrieved August 4, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  12. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/04/opinion/el-paso-shooting.html
  13. ^ Branham, Dana (August 3, 2019). "El Paso massacre suspect wrote an anti-immigrant 'manifesto' before the attack, authorities say". Dallas News. Retrieved August 4, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  14. ^ "El Paso shooting: what we know so far". The Guardian.
  15. ^ a b c Hennessy-Fiske, Molly (August 3, 2019). "El Paso shooting: Suspect is in custody after shopping mall rampage; 20 are dead and at least 26 wounded". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  16. ^ a b Mannion, Connor (August 3, 2019). "LISTEN: Harrowing Interview with Woman Who Witnessed El Paso Mass Shooting". Mediaite. Retrieved August 4, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  17. ^ a b c d e f Romero, Simon; Fernandez, Manny; Padilla, Mariel (August 3, 2019). "El Paso Shooting: 20 People Are Dead in Massacre at Walmart". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  18. ^ Newsource, C. N. N. (August 3, 2019). "Witness to El Paso mass shooting describes moments during attack". KVII. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  19. ^ a b Law, Tara; Bates, Josiah (August 3, 2019). "20 Killed, Police Investigating Possible Hate Crime in El Paso Walmart Shooting". Time. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  20. ^ a b Kaur, Harmeet (August 3, 2019). "Deadly shooting in El Paso, Texas". CNN. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  21. ^ "AMLO confirma muerte de tres mexicanos en tiroteo en Texas". Milenio (in Spanish). August 3, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  22. ^ "Hay 3 mexicanos muertos en tiroteo de El Paso, informa AMLO". El Universal (in Spanish). August 3, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  23. ^ Politi, Daniel (August 3, 2019). "El Paso Suspect Reportedly a Trump Supporter Who Wrote Racist, Anti-Immigrant Manifesto". Slate. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  24. ^ a b Arango, Tim; Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas; Benner, Katie (August 3, 2019). "Minutes Before El Paso Killing, Hate-Filled Manifesto Appears Online". Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  25. ^ Beckett, Lois (August 3, 2019). "El Paso shooting at Walmart leaves at least 20 people dead". The Guardian. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  26. ^ a b c "20 killed, dozens injured in El Paso shooting". CBS News. August 3, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  27. ^ "Family reunification site set up following Cielo Vista Walmart shooting". KTSM. August 3, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  28. ^ Vargas, Alejandro (August 3, 2019). "Se ofrecen más funerarias a ofrecer servicios gratuitos a víctimas de masacre". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish).
  29. ^ Vargas, Alejandro (August 3, 2019). "Con vigilia juarenses se solidarizan con víctimas de tiroteo". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish).
  30. ^ "Texas governor: 20 dead in El Paso shopping-complex shooting". Politico. August 3, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  31. ^ Rossman, Sean. "Rep. Veronica Escobar town hall interrupted by news of El Paso, Texas, Walmart shooting". USA Today. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  32. ^ a b Siders, David; Vasquez, Christian. "'The numbers are going up': Unfolding El Paso massacre stuns Dem presidential forum". Politico. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  33. ^ a b Aguilar, Julián; Blanchard, Bobby (August 3, 2019). "Gov. Abbott: 20 dead in mass shooting at El Paso Walmart". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved August 3, 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  34. ^ Gaytan, Samuel; Martinez, Aaron; Montes, Aaron; Kolenc, Vic; Borunda, Daniel; Freudenthal, Bethany (August 3, 2019). "Governor Greg Abbott: 20 killed in El Paso Walmart shooting near Cielo Vista Mall". El Paso Times. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  35. ^ a b Frazin, Rachel. "2020 Dems call for action after El Paso shooting". The Hill. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  36. ^ Veronica Stracqualursi; Caroline Kenny; Daniella Diaz. "'Truly heartbreaking': Beto O'Rourke to return to hometown of El Paso after deadly shooting". CNN. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  37. ^ Montero, David; Finnegan, Michael. "'Keep that ... on the battlefield': Beto O'Rourke condemns access to assault weapons after El Paso shooting". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  38. ^ Dorman, Sam (August 3, 2019). "'Senseless and horrific': Celebrities call for gun control, decry political inaction after El Paso shooting". Fox News. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  39. ^ "Tres mexicanos fallecidos en masacre en El Paso". El Financiero (in Spanish). August 3, 2019.
  40. ^ "Gobierno de Chihuahua condena ataque en El Paso, Texas". Milenio (in Spanish). August 3, 2019.
  41. ^ ""No hay motivo que justifique el dolor", dice Javier Corral tras tiroteo en Texas". Milenio (in Spanish). August 3, 2019.
  42. ^ "Ofrecen apoyo a mexicanos en El Paso". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). August 3, 2019.
  43. ^ "Consulado de México busca a mexicanos en hospitales tras tiroteo". El Sol de México (in Spanish). Organización Editorial Mexicana. August 3, 2019.
  44. ^ Juárez, Pavel (August 3, 2019). "Aún no se establece si hay víctimas de Juárez tras ataque en El Paso: Cabada". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish).
  45. ^ "Juarense resultó herida en tiroteo". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). August 3, 2019.
  46. ^ "Calderón pide a Trump frenar discurso de odio tras tiroteo en El Paso". Milenio (in Spanish). August 3, 2019.
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