EL Paso : In a mass shooting at a shopping center in El Paso, twenty people died and twenty-six were injured, law enforcement and Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed in a press conference Saturday evening.
The shooting happened at a Walmart near the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, which is on the U.S. southern border. The Walmart was at capacity with up to 3,000 people during the busy back-to-school shopping season, police said.
One suspect was taken into custody while authorities were studying an extremist manifesto purportedly written by the gunman. After officials initially said three people had been detained, police confirmed that a 21-year-old from Allen, Texas, was the only person in custody. “Right now we have a manifesto from this individual that indicates to some degree, it has a nexus to potential hate crime,” police chief Greg Allen said.
The witness said the gunman wore black t-shirt, combat trousers and was wearing ear muffs.
Walmart expressed shock at the shooting and said it was praying for the victims. The retailer said it is working closely with law enforcement and would provide updates as appropriate.
