Patrick Crusius’s federal sentencing hearing is scheduled to start on Wednesday. The 24-year-old admitted guilt in February to federal counts of hate crimes and possession of a handgun in connection with the El Paso, Texas, Walmart shooting in August 2019.
He is anticipated to address the 23 relatives of those killed in one of the bloodiest shooting sprees in American history. It is anticipated that victim impact statements will start on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. and last for around two days. The court hearing will also give the shooter and his defence team a chance to speak. Depending on when witnesses from the relatives of the murdered and survivors finish testifying, his punishment may take place on Friday or Monday.
Attempted With 22 Murders
The shooter consented to serving 90 consecutive life sentences—one for each charge—in lieu of a plea deal. Although they had sought the death penalty when the shooter first asserted his innocence, prosecutors no longer intend to do so.
He is charged with 22 attempted murder counts, 23 murder counts involving the use of a firearm during or in connection with a violent crime, 23 murder counts involving the use of a firearm during or in connection with a violent crime, and 23 murder counts involving the use of a handgun. He also faces a state accusation of capital murder, which carries a death penalty possibility.
Defending My Country
Crusius reportedly told police in 2019: “I’m the shooter,” according to an arrest warrant. According to Justice Department records, the shooter identified as a White nationalist and admitted to shooting consumers “because of the actual and perceived Hispanic national origin of the people.”
Before travelling 11 hours from Allen to El Paso, according to the prosecution, he released a manifesto titled “An Inconvenient Truth” in which he claimed that his motivation for killing Hispanics was “simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by the invasion.”
