EL PASO, Texas (WHDH) – Authorities are working to determine if the deadly shooting in an El Paso, Texas Walmart on Saturday that left 20 dead and 26 others wounded was a hate crime.
“You could hear a pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, he’s trigger finger, going, going, going,” one witness said of the horrifying scene inside the crowded shopping center.
Officers arrested the 21-year-old suspect and are now looking into a racist document posted online.
“I heard a lot of yelling, and we were scared to death,” one witness said.
Some people managed to escape with their lives while others are left waiting for news of their loved ones.
Edie Hallberg, who was desperately searching for her mother said, “I want to just find my mom, somebody needs to tell me where she is, I want to know if she’s dead or alive or if she’s still in Walmart.”
Police say around 11 a.m. the suspect started shooting.
Adria Gonzalez, who witnessed the attack, said, “He didn’t say anything, he just started, he walked in and started shooting at everybody.”
The store and surrounding shopping complex were full of thousands of people shopping for back-to-school supplies.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, “On a day that would have been a normal day for someone to go leisurely shopping turned into one of the most deadly days in the history of texas, lives were taken who should still be with us today.”
Police say the suspected gunman surrendered to authorities without incident.
He is from Allen, Texas, about 600 miles away from El Paso.
Now police are working to confirm whether a racist, anti-immigrant rant posted online beforehand was written by the suspected shooter.
The shopping complex is about five miles from the main border checkpoint with Mexico.
El Paso Mayor Dee Margo said, “No one in El Paso would have ever done something like this. Our community is going to be close and drawing closer together, and now we’re going to have o be getting ready mentally for 20 funerals.”
Police say the suspect is expected to face capital murder charges, and possibly hate crime charges.
Mall employees say they did an active shooter drill just a month ago, but never thought that drill would become reality.
People in multiple states have gathered for vigils to honor the victims.
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