At Least One Dead, Three Injured in Another Shooting in El Paso: What We Know So Far
El Paso #ElPaso
At least one person is dead while three others have been injured from a shooting at Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon, according to officials.
One person has been arrested, El Paso Police Department spokesman Sgt. Robert Gomez explained at a news conference, while a second suspect remains at large. No information was given on the suspect in custody.
“At this time, it’s too early to discuss or speculate what the motive of the shooter or the reason for the shooting was,” Gomez said.
Police received multiple calls at around 5:10 p.m. reporting shots fired at the mall, Gomez stated, and multiple units responded quickly.
Gomez was asked about unverified footage shared on social media of people fleeing the scene. “It was chaotic,” he responded. “They were scared.”
Local law enforcement officials are currently clearing the mall, gathering witnesses, and reuniting families, Gomez added.
Spokesman for University Medical Center, one of the hospitals where victims were taken, Ryan Mielke told local media that two patients are in critical condition following the shooting.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott posted on Twitter that he has spoken to El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser about the shooting, and offered assistance from state agencies to help respond to this “tragic event.”
The incident on Wednesday occurred next to the Walmart store where 23 people were killed in one of the worst mass shootings in modern U.S. history in August 2019. The gunman pleaded guilty to 90 federal charges earlier this month.
There have been more than 70 mass shootings in the U.S. during 2023 so far, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one with at least four people killed or injured, not including the shooter. Earlier this week, 3 students were killed and 5 remain hospitalized in critical condition from a mass shooting at Michigan State University.
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