El Paso shooting: At least 19 people dead, 40 injured, suspect in custody, police say

"We’re praying for the victims, the community & our associates, as well as the first responders," Walmart said in a statement on Twitter.

By Andrew Blankstein and Minyvonne Burke

A gunman opened fire Saturday in a Walmart and around a nearby shopping mall in El Paso, Texas, leaving at least 19 people dead and 40 injured, law enforcement officials said.

Employees and shoppers described scenes of confusion and fear as they realized the sudden loud noises they heard were not boxes being dropped or construction but gunshots.

One suspect was in custody, officials said. Law enforcement sources say police identified the suspect as Patrick Crusius, 21, from the Dallas area.

Multiple senior law enforcement officials believe Crusius posted a manifesto online just prior to the attack. They say investigators are examining a posting they suspect is from him but that they have not officially confirmed it.

The sources said it was too soon to draw any motives from the posting.

A second person was also taken into custody, but it was not immediately known what role, if any, the person played in the shooting, sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News.

Close to the Mexican border, the retail area around the Cielo Vista Mall is a popular shopping destination for people on both sides of the dividing line, as evidenced by the Texas and Mexican license plates in the parking lots, although the crackdown at the border has cut down on some of that consumer traffic. In several tweets, police initially urged people to stay away from the area, but by 1 p.m. said there was no imminent threat.

A Walmart employee told NBC affiliate KTSM in El Paso that she was working by the self-checkout when gunshots rang out. The employee, who only wanted to be identified by her first name, Leslie, said she initially thought boxes had been dropped. “I thought it was just like loud boxes being dropped or something, until they got closer and closer,” she said. "That’s when I looked at my co-worker, 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,” the Walmart worker said. Adriana Quezada, 39, was in the store with her two children when the shooting began. "I heard the shots but I thought they were hits, like roof construction,"she told the Associated Press. In a tweet Saturday afternoon, Walmart said it was "in shock."

"We’re praying for the victims, the community & our associates, as well as the first responders," a statement posted on Twitter read. "We’re working closely with law enforcement & will update as appropriate." A University Medical Center of El Paso spokesman said the victims had been taken to different hospitals. University Medical Center received at least 12 victims, many with "level one" injuries, which is the most serious level, spokesman Ryan Mielke said. He said two children, ages 2 and 9,were taken to El Paso Children's Hospital and stabilized. 2 children were transported to El Paso Children's hospital, aged 2 and 9 years old. An official at Del Sol Medical Center said 11 victims ranging in age from 35 to 82 years old, were transported and are being treated at Del Sol Medical Center. President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday afternoon about the "terrible shootings."

The city's mayor and other public officials also responded. "Our hearts go out to those who have been injured and the families of those who may have been killed," El Paso Mayor Dee Margo said during an interview with KTSM. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he is headed to El Paso. “While no words can provide the solace needed for those impacted by this event, I ask that all Texans join Cecilia and me in offering our prayers for the victims and their families,” Abbott said in a statement. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, was an hour into a town hall meeting at Coronado High School 15 miles from the mall, when she abruptly had to end the event because of the shooting. “You all, I am so sorry,” she said. “There is an active shooter. We are going to need to clear the event.”

The crowd gasped in response and began to move, according to the congresswoman’s Facebook Live video. “We’ve been asked by law enforcement to just send everybody home,” she said. A reunification site for families of possible victims was set up at a local school. El Paso Community College said in a tweet that all of its campuses have been evacuated "out of an abundance of caution." Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke of El Paso urged residents in El Paso to "stay safe." "Truly heartbreaking," he wrote in a tweet. "Please follow all directions of emergency personnel as we continue to get more updates." The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene to assist the El Paso Police Department.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/active-shooter-near-el-paso-mall-police-responding-n1039001