Multiple fatalities, 1 in custody after Walmart shooting in El Paso, Texas (VIDEOS)
Dozens have been shot by a gunman at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. At least 20 fatalities have been confirmed. One suspect is in custody.
One person has been placed in custody, EL Paso police confirmed, adding that the alleged attacker was apprehended without incident. A total of 20 people were killed in the shooting, and another 26 were injured.
Also on rt.com 20 confirmed killed in El Paso Walmart shooting rampagePolice have yet to formally identify the shooter, who has been named in mutlple media reports as Patrick Crusius of Dallas. Sgt Robert Gomez, a spokesman for the El Paso Police Department, described the suspect as a “white male in his 20s.”
Several extremely graphic videos, purportedly taken at the scene, have emerged online. One shows at least three bodies lying outside the Walmart and in its parking lot. In another one, people are seen fleeing the store past a person lying on the floor in a large blood puddle.
Meanwhile a short clip of a man hiding under furniture while multiple shots are heard in the background has been making the rounds in the media.
People are hiding under desk, gunshots can be heard. #Texas#walmart#cielovistamallhttps://t.co/ZWRUKeH6YIpic.twitter.com/mhFi7QvP4K
— Vikas Tripathi (@vikasjournolko) August 3, 2019
The shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall area started around 11am local time on Saturday, and the scene remained “active” for more than an hour. Police said they received reports of multiple shooters, which later proved to be false.
Scene is still Active. We have multi reports of multiple shooters. Please avoid area police conducting search of a very large area. Media staging will be given when area is secure.
— EL PASO POLICE DEPT (@EPPOLICE) August 3, 2019
#Update: Just in - Video footage of police clearing out the entire Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, #Texas. Where a gunman who is still at large shot at least 18 people and one person dead in a #Walmart and on a parking lot. pic.twitter.com/tqb0iKwNmh
— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) August 3, 2019
Witnesses said a man armed with an AK-style rifle began shooting outside the Walmart and then went on a rampage inside the store. Stills from CCTV videos appear to confirm the type of weapon used.
Footage from the scene shows heavily armed officers and police helicopters deployed.
This is literally so ugly what’s happening in El Paso right now!!! Que dios bendiga a todos. pic.twitter.com/4Jt5YSwWcU
— maria fernanda🇲🇽 (@Illegallybabe) August 3, 2019
BREAKING: Police are advising everyone avoid the Cielo Vista area as an active shooter alert is in effect near the Cielo Vista Mall area #ElPaso#ElPasoShootingpic.twitter.com/cNpa5Z90Rd
— Jorge Salgado (@SalgadoPhoto_) August 3, 2019
Terrible shootings in ElPaso, Texas. Reports are very bad, many killed. Working with State and Local authorities, and Law Enforcement. Spoke to Governor to pledge total support of Federal Government. God be with you all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2019
Meanwhile, reports have emerged about the shooter's alleged “manifesto”. Scott Stedman, a journalist with ForensicNews.net, said he had received a 4-page document said to have originally been posted on the notorious image board 8chan. It allegedly calls the attack “a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas” and claims to provide insight into the extreme-right views of the shooter. The FBI is investigating the document, according to Stedman.
BREAKING: FBI investigating possible manifesto from the shooter which starts with the following two sentences: "In general, I support the Christchurch shooter and his manifesto. This attack is a response to theHispanic invasion of Texas"
— Scott Stedman (@ScottMStedman) August 3, 2019
Author of the alleged manifesto calls the attack on #Walmart a 'response to [the] Hispanic invasion of #Texas' and expresses extreme-right views, voicing his support to the #Christchurch shooterhttps://t.co/ppEarFKnT6
— RT (@RT_com) August 3, 2019