One killed, 3 injured in shooting at El Paso mall; 1 suspect arrested
One person was killed and three others wounded in a shooting Wednesday evening at a mall in El Paso, Texas, authorities said.
One suspect has been arrested and a possible second suspect was being sought, but a police spokesperson noted the scene was no longer active.
At around 5:10 p.m. local time, police responded to reports of a shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall, El Paso police Sgt. Robert Gomez told reporters in a news briefing. One victim was pronounced dead, and three others were taken to local hospitals, Gomez said. There was no immediate word on their conditions.
Gomez said the investigation indicated the shooting occurred "in the approximate area of the food court, but that was not confirmed."
One suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting, and police were searching for a possible second suspect, Gomez disclosed. No names nor descriptions of the victims or the suspect were released.
"We do believe the scene is secure," Gomez said. "We're going to verify it by going through the mall and safeguarding the mall."
There was no word yet on a motive.
The shooting comes exactly a week after the 24-year-old gunman in the 2019 mass shooting at a nearby Walmart — in which 23 people were killed by a man deliberately targeting Hispanic people — pleaded guilty to federal hate crime and firearms charges. That Walmart is located across the street from the Cielo Vista Mall.
The gunman, Patrick Crusius, agreed as part of a plea deal to accept 90 consecutive life sentences, one for each count in the indictment.
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