El Paso Walmart Shooting: 7 Mexican Nationals Among 22 Dead

EL PASO, TX — Seven Mexican nationals have been identified among the 22 slain in a shooting at Walmart store in El Paso, according to officials in El Paso, and authorities were looking into whether the massacre was a hate crime. A German citizen is also among the deceased.

A gunman wielding an AK-47-style rifle opened fire Saturday morning in and around a Walmart store near Cielo Vista mall, sending panicked shoppers racing for cover. Twenty people died Saturday and 26 more were hurt, officials said.

Authorities said on Monday that two more people had died at the hospital, raising the death toll to 22. No other details were immediately provided. The nationality of one of the victim's remains unknown.

The victims were identified as:

U.S. Citizens:

Andre Pablo Anchonodo, 23

Jordan Anchonodo, 24

Arturo Benavidez, 60

Leonard Cipeda Campos, 41

Maria Flores, 71

Raul Flores, 77

David Alvah Johnson, 63

Luis Alfonso Juarez, 90

Elsa Libera Marquez, 57

Maribel Loya, 56

Margie Reckard, 63

Angelina Silva-Elisbee, 86

Juan Velazquez, 77

Mexican Nationals

Jorge Calvillo Garcia, 61

Adolfo Cerros Hernandez, 68

Maria Eugenia Legarrega Rothe, 58

Ivan Hillerto Manzano, 46

Gloria Irma Marquez, 61

Sarah Esther Regaldo Moriel, 66

Teresa Sanchez, 82

The German citizen killed in the shooting was identified as Alexander Gerhard Hoffman, 66.

Gunfire erupted around 10:40 a.m. as back-to-school shoppers packed the store to capacity, Sgt. Robert Gomez, a spokesman for El Paso police, told reporters. First responders arrived at the scene within six minutes and the suspect surrendered without incident. No law enforcement officers fired weapons, police said.

Marcelo Ebrard, the country's foreign relations secretary, tweeted out the names of three females and two males killed in the shooting: Sara Esther Regalado, of Juarez; Adolfo Cerros Hernandez, of Aguascalientes; Jorge Calvillo Garcia, of Torreon; Elsa Mendoza de la Mora, of Yepomera; and Gloria Irma Marquez, of Juarez.

A sixth Mexican national was in the process of being identified.

Jordan Anchondo, a 25-year-old mother from El Paso, was also shot to death on Saturday while apparently protecting her young son, her sister Leta Jamrowski told The Associated Press. The duo had been shopping for school supplies.

Walmart shopper Arturo Benavides was also among the dead, KTSM-TV reported. The El Paso man was reported missing Saturday before relatives wrote in a Facebook post that had died.

A federal law enforcement official who spoke to Patch identified the shooter as Patrick Crusius, 21, of Allen, Texas. Multiple other media outlets reported the same. Crusius previously attended Plano High School. Police have not confirmed the gunman's identity.

The shooting prompted a massive police and emergency medical response amid early reports that shootings were simultaneously taking place at other locations. Those reports turned out to be false, Gomez said.

Investigators are looking into whether the mass slaughter was a hate crime, police Chief Greg Allen said, and they are considering pursuing capital murder charges. He confirmed a manifesto was found and they're working to confirm it was written by the suspect.

"The manifesto narrative is fueled by hate," said U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat. "It's fueled by racism."

A leisurely day of shopping turned into one of the state's deadliest days, and the state "grieves" for El Paso, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. The state will provide its full support for the community in its efforts to recover.

"For every mom and dad, for every son and daughter, we ask that you put your arms around your family members tonight and give them a hug," said Abbott. "Let them know how much you love them."

Texas and the community must unite, Abbott said. He stressed it's important for every Texan to come together, support each other and ensure El Paso takes a step forward.

Mayor Dee Margo offered his condolences and prayers to all of the city and those impacted by the shooting.

"We will remember their lives and honor their memories together," he said. "Our community will not be defined by this senseless, evil act of violence. We will be defined by the unity and compassion we showed in the wake of this tragedy."

Margo previously told CNN three people were in custody, and police previously said they received reports of multiple shooters. A federal law enforcement official initially said they received reports that two white men wielding AK-47-style weapons had opened fire. The discrepancy wasn't immediately explained.

Law enforcement officials are poring over a series of writings and online posts they believe were written by the suspect, including a manifesto attributed to the suspect. It stated, in part, "In general, I support the Christchurch shooter and his manifesto. This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas."

The reference was to a mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, during Friday Prayer on March 15.

The store, just across the U.S. border from Juarez, Mexico, in west Texas, is popular among American shoppers and tourists from Mexico alike. As many as 3,000 people were in the store at the time. Witnesses said the shooter, dressed in cargo pants and wearing ear protection, appeared calm and methodical.

A witness told Fox News his mother died in the shooting and a second witness said she heard 15 to 20 pop sounds. She also saw a man "dancing," which she thought was strange. Initially she and her family thought the sounds were fireworks but later realized they were gunshots.

She said the gunman was "just pointing at people and shooting straight at them," adding that she saw three or four people fall to the ground.

"He was very nonchalant, but he was on a mission," she added.

Customers and workers inside the store recalled a chaotic scene as people ran out of the store or looked for a place to hide.

A Walmart employee told news station KTSM that she got as many people out of the store as she could when the gunman started shooting.

“I thought it was just like loud boxes being dropped or something, until they got closer and closer,” she told the news outlet. "That’s when I looked at my coworker, and we looked at each other like shocked and scared.

“I got all the people that I could. I even found a little girl that was missing from her parents, and I got her, too. I tried to get as many people as I could out.”

Tabitha Estrada, 19, was at a GNC vitamin store in front of the Walmart when she heard gunfire. She shepherded as many people as she could into a locked room, where they remained hidden for about an hour, the El Paso Times reported. When she was reunited with her mother, 40-year-old Rebecca Rivas, the two held each other in a long embrace.

“Mija,” Rivas said, “you’re alive.”

Photos shared on Twitter Saturday showed the carnage, including one person covered in blood. Another tweet contained a photo of a victim in blood-soaked pants and warned his followers to stay away from the mall area. Video taken outside the Walmart store showed at least four gunshot victims lying motionless in the parking lot.

Video posted on Twitter showed law enforcement agents evacuating panicked shoppers out of a J.C. Penney's store with their hands raised in the air.

Glen Oakley, a U.S. Army soldier and member of the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, was shopping in the mall when a child ran in and said there was an active shooter in Walmart. At first, he didn't believe the boy.

"So I walked out the mall and go in to Foot Locker, I hear pop pop," Oakley told MSNBC.

Oakley, who has a license to carry, said he grabbed his gun while he and others in the store hid behind the cage. Some people panicked though and lifted the cage. He ran with the people and began trying to pick up kids who were in the parking lot unaccompanied, trying to take them to safety.

"They were so anxious, they were jumping out of my hands," he said.

Oakley added: "I was trying to pick up the kids, man. I wasn't really worried about myself."

Robert Curado, who lives in El Paso, told the El Paso Times he hid with his mother between a pair of vending machines outside the Walmart store. The gunman fired at him.

"That's where the individual tried to shoot at me, which he missed 'cause I kind of ducked down," he told the newspaper.

Both Curado and his mother were unharmed, but a woman in front of him was shot.

"Quite an experience seeing a lady get her face blown off," he said.

Police urgently asked for blood donors, tweeting that multiple injured people were taken to various hospitals. Blood donation centers are located at Vitalent Blood Services at 424 South Mesa Hills and 133 North Zaragoza.

A reunification center for families was established at nearby MacArthur Elementary-Intermediate School north of the mall. Anyone who hasn't heard from loved ones was asked to go there rather than the store.

After the first report of the shooting around 10 a.m. Saturday, multiple SWAT teams were sent to the scene. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives tweeted it was assisting local police officers.

Businesses in the area were placed on lockdown amid the early and, ultimately, false reports that shootings were taking place at multiple locations. Oscar Collazo, the manager of Landry's Seafood house, told CNN he unlocked the door so three Walmart workers could seek refuge. They were "shook up," he said, though unharmed.

"We never thought it would be so close to us this time," Collazo said. "You see on the news all the time, but you don't think it could happen here until it does."

Social media pages for a Patrick Crusius, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn, were taken down Saturday afternoon by each company.

The LinkedIn page stated: "I'm not really motivated to do anything more than what is really necessary to get by. Working in general sucks, but I guess a career in Software Development suits me well. I spend about 8 hours every day on the computer ..." The LinkedIn page noted he worked as a bagger in an Allen, Texas, grocery store in 2015 but listed no other jobs.

The Twitter account, which has not been confirmed to belong to the accused shooter, had been inactive for two years but one of the last posts signaled praise for President Trump's effort to build a border wall.

The president was briefed on the shooting.

"We continue to monitor the situation," Steven Groves, the deputy White House press secretary, said in a statement released in a pool report.

"The president has spoken with Attorney General Barr and Gov. Abbott," he said.

Trump later tweeted: "Terrible shootings in El Paso, 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!"

Vice President Mike Pence tweeted: "Saddened by the loss of so many innocent lives in El Paso, TX. Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and the entire community. Grateful for the courageous efforts and swift action by federal law enforcement and local first responders."

Walmart tweeted it was "in shock over the tragic events."

"We’re praying for the victims, the community & our associates, as well as the first responders," Walmart said. "We’re working closely with law enforcement & will update as appropriate."

Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted that the state Department of Public Safety is assisting local law enforcement and federal authorities to bring the shooting to as swift and safe a conclusion as possible.

"We thank all First Responders for their courageous response & urge all area residents to remain safe," Abbott tweeted.

Abbott told reporters better funding is needed to assess mental health problems.

Rep. Veronica Escobar tweeted Saturday she was "utterly heartbroken" by the news.

"Monitoring the situation and in communication with our law enforcement," she wrote. "Please stay safe."

Beto O'Rourke, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who previously represented the state's 16th Congressional District in the House, told reporters in Las Vegas that he planned to return home immediately to be with his family. He asked "for everyone's strength for El Paso right now. Everyone's resolve to make sure that this does not continue to happen in this country."

Earlier, he tweeted the shooting was "truly heartbreaking."

"Stay safe, El Paso," he wrote. "Please follow all directions of emergency personnel as we continue to get more updates."

Ken Paxton, the state attorney general, said in a statement his office is prepared to give full support to federal, state and local law enforcement officers.

"Our deepest sympathies and prayers extend to all the people of El Paso, especially those who have been directly impacted by this tragedy," said Paxton.

The El Paso massacre is the nation's 249th mass shooting, according to the Gun Violence Archive. There have been 215 mass shootings so far this year. The latest shooting comes days after two people were killed at a Walmart store in Mississippi, and six days after three people were gunned down at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California.

As Patch previously reported, while mass shootings do happen in other countries, the sheer number of them is a uniquely American phenomena. Americans make up just 4.4 percent of the world's population, but they own 42 percent of the world's guns.

That high gun-ownership rate leaves Americans particularly vulnerable to public mass shootings, according to a 2016 study by Adam Lankford, an associate criminology and criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama.

"I found that approximately 31 percent of all public mass shooters attack in the United States," Lankford told Patch in June following a mass shooting in Virginia Beach. If mass shootings were evenly distributed, that number would be closer to 5 percent or less.

"That says we have far more than our share of the world's public mass shootings," he said.

Comparatively, the United States has about six times more mass shootings than other countries with at least 10 million people. Only Yemen saw a higher rate of mass shootings.

Patch staffers Beth Dalbey, Colin Miner and Dennis Robaugh contributed to this report.