A mass shooting took place in the early hours of this morning (Aug 4) at a Walmart in the Texas border city of El Paso. Leaving 20 people dead and 26 injured, the incident is being investigated as a possible hate crime, officials have said.
El Paso’s police chief has said that this is one of the deadliest incidents in Texas history.
It is being reported that the shooter is 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, who is now in police custody. A local TV station has published what it said to be a picture of the suspect from CCTV footage.
Confirmed Photo of the shooter as he entered the Cielo Vista Walmart store. #EPShooting https://t.co/wfXkVy7a3y pic.twitter.com/TWVZwQXIyl
— KTSM 9 News (@KTSMtv) August 3, 2019
According to the L.A. Times, El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen said the suspect surrendered to approaching officers. “We have a manifesto from this individual that indicates a potential nexus to a hate crime,” he said. “We have to validate for certain that this was a manifesto from this individual we arrested.”
The manifesto is said to be a document that appeared on the online message board 8chan before the shooting took place. It spoke about an “invasion” of Latino immigrants and the writer is noted to have agreed with the shooter who killed masses of Islamic worshipers in March at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Responding to the news, Blink-182 have postponed their show at the UTEP Don Haskins Arena in El Paso in solidarity with the community. “Sending our love to the entire community of El Paso,” the band wrote in a tweet.
Ari Lennox of J. Cole‘s Dreamville crew wrote: “Rest in peace to all the beautiful people who passed away in EL Paso TX today.”
Cardi B posted an image of the alleged shooter to her Instagram, accompanied by the words: “This is Patrick Crusius, age 21, of Dallas. Today, he shot and killed at least 19 people with an AK-47-style rifle at a Walmart in El Paso.
“He’s NOT an immigrant. He’s not Muslim. He’s not in ISIS. He is yet ANOTHER homegrown domestic white supremacist terrorist who on his Twitter idolises Trump, KKK leader David Duke, and Dylan Roof, the white supremacist who shot up the black church in Charleston. He drove to El Paso to target Hispanic Americans there.
“AMERICA, WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM THAT A WALL WON’T FIX.”
See a selection of social media responses below:
Following today’s terrible tragedy in El Paso we are postponing our Sunday, August 4th show at the UTEP Don Haskins Arena in solidarity with the community. Please stay tuned for further updates coming soon. Sending our love to the entire community of El Paso.
— blink-182 (@blink182) August 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/AriLennox/status/1157811525933051904?s=20
The United States Of America has a severe issue with calling its Caucasian males ‘terrorists’ but quick triggered on calling all other ethnicities it. Explain people because the media STILL has a issue calling Timothy McVeigh one as they vanished him from current history talks
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) August 4, 2019
Awful to hear about this shooting in El Paso. ?
Also awful to see people immediately using tragedy to push their political agendas. Again.
It's predictable but it shows a total lack of decorum and decency.
RIP to anybody who lost their lives and praying for their families. ??
— ZUBY: (teamzuby.com sale) (@ZubyMusic) August 3, 2019
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0uoGWqnxKk/?utm_source=ig_web_options_share_sheet