Two mass shootings took the lives of 29 people and one of the gunman on Saturday (August 4) morning and early Sunday morning. The first shooting occurred at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas.
Police say that 21-year-old Patrick Crusius walked into the store armed with a rifle and went aisle by aisle shooting customers. He was taken into custody outside of the store. Twenty people were killed, and 26 people were wounded in the attack.
The gunman published a racist manifesto before the shooting and told investigators that he wanted to shoot as many Mexicans as possible.
"The manifesto narrative is fueled by hate, and it's fueled by racism and bigotry and division," Rep. Veronica Escobar, who represents Texas's 16th Congressional District, said. "This is someone who came from outside of our community to do us harm. A community that has shown nothing but generosity and kindness to the least among us -- those people arriving at America's front door."
Nearly 13 hours later, another gunman opened fire in the Oregon District of Dayton, Ohio. He killed nine people and wounded 27 others before he was shot and killed by responding officers. The shooter was identified as 24-year-old Connor Betts. He was armed with a long gun and was wearing body armor. Officials have not determined a motive for his attack.
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley praised the officers for their quick response time, which she credited with saving lives.
"I really want to -- think about that minute. The shooter was able to kill nine people and injure 26 in less than a minute. And if we did not have police in the Oregon District and the thousands of people in the Oregon District enjoying their Saturday evening, what we could have had in this city," Whaley said.
Photo: Getty Images