White Supremacist Patrick Crusius was handed 90 life sentences for killing 23 Hispanic shoppers in racist attack in a Texas Walmart

Crusius, 24, pled guilty in February to nearly 90 federal hate crime charges in the Aug 3, 2019, mass shooting in El Paso, Texas

He posted a racist manifesto online about a Hispanic “invasion” of Texas shortly before the shooting at the border city store

Then 21, Crusius from Allen, a Dallas suburb, was described by acquaintances as a short-tempered ‘loner’ with long-held animosity toward Mexican immigrants

Then a college student living in Allen, Texas, Crusius drove 650 miles, over nine hours, to the scene of the shooting in El Paso

Texas Walmart shooter Patrick Crusius, 24, [photo], Friday was handed 90 life sentences for killing 23 Hispanic shoppers in racist attack on Aug 3, 2019, but could still get death penalty

The gunman who killed 23 people in a racist attack on Hispanic shoppers at a Walmart in Texas was sentenced on Friday to 90 consecutive life sentences on Friday, July 7, 2023, outside the Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse, but could still face the death penalty.
Patrick Crusius, 24, pled guilty earlier this year to nearly 50 federal hate crime charges in the 2019 mass shooting in El Paso.
Crusius, who appeared in the courtroom shackled, only spoke when asked a question by the judge and showed no emotion as the verdict was read.
The judge recommended Crusius serve his sentence at the ADX Florence maximum security prison in Colorado, the most secure in the US prison system.
His victims’ relatives spent hours on Wednesday CNN reports, calling him a “coward,” a “monster,” a “killer,” a “parasite,” and more as they emotionally detailed how he had destroyed their lives with his attack. It was the first time the victims’ were able to address the killer in court. 
“I hope God one day finds the heart to forgive you for what you’ve done,” Raul Loya, a relative of a victim, said on Wednesday through tears.

The tragic 23 who were killed in the El Paso Walmart store mass shooting on Aug 3, 2019, finally got justice, four years later

Crusius posted a racist manifesto online about a Hispanic “invasion” of Texas shortly before the shooting at the border city store. Crusius, 24, pled guilty earlier this year to nearly 50 federal hate crime charges in the 2019 mass shooting in El Paso, 

One of the victims, a teenage soccer player who was only identified as G.A., told his attacker: “I still remember everything so clearly, even though I have tried to erase it from my memory.” 
Thomas Hoffman, who lost his father Alexander, told Crusius: “You’re an ignorant coward and you deserve to suffer in jail and then burn in hell.” 
Alexander was scheduled to fly to Germany, where he was born, the day he was killed, leaving his family in disbelief. Alexander had immigrated to Mexico from Germany in the 1980s and his family remembers him as a “gentle giant with a big heart.” 

White Supremacist Patrick Crusius killed 23 people, all Hispanic, during his gun rampage at the Walmart store in El Paso, Texas on August 3, 2019.

“You are an evil parasite that is nothing without a weapon,” Hoffman told Crusius. 
One by one, family members used their first opportunity since the shooting to directly address Crusius, describing how their lives have been upended by grief and pain. However, some still chose to forgive Crusius. One man displayed photographs of his slain father, insisting the gunman look at them.
Bertha Benavides’ husband of 34 years, Arturo, was among those killed.
“You left children without their parents, you left spouses without their spouses, and we still need them,” she told Crusius.

Shoppers seen exiting the Walmart with their hands up. At the time the store was ‘at capacity’ with more than 3,000 shoppers inside hoping to get ahead of the busy back-to-school season

During the initial statements from victims, Crusius occasionally swiveled in his seat or bobbed his head with little sign of emotion. On Thursday, his eyes appeared to well up as victims condemned the brutality of the shootings and demanded Crusius respond and account for his actions. At one point, Crusius consulted with a defense attorney at his side then gestured that he would not answer.
Crusius’ family did not appear in the courtroom during the sentencing phase.
Crusius drove more than 700 miles from his home near Dallas to target Hispanics with an AK-47 style rifle inside and outside of the packed Walmart center. Moments before the attack began, Crusius posted a racist screed online that warned of a Hispanic “invasion” of Texas.

Surveillance footage of Crusius entering the El Paso Walmart armed with a rifle. ‘Loner’ Patrick Crusius is allegedly the man seen in surveillance footage walking into the Walmart in El Paso on Saturday, wielding an AK-47 assault rifle

The gunman is seen wearing what appears to be either headphones or ear defenders during the shooting on August 3, 2019

As Crusius was led from the courtroom, a family member of one of the victims shouted at Crusius from the gallery: “We’ll be seeing you again, coward. No apologies, no nothing.”
Joe Spencer, Crusius’ attorney, told the judge before the sentencing his client had a “broken brain.”
“Patrick’s thinking is at odds with reality…resulting in delusional thinking,” Spencer told the court.

Before the mass shooting Crusius [photo], then 21, posted a racist manifesto online about a Hispanic “invasion” of Texas. Crusius from Allen, a Dallas suburb, was described by acquaintances as a short-tempered ‘loner’ with long-held animosity toward Mexican immigrants

Crusius became alarmed by his own violent thoughts, including once leaving a job at a movie theater because of those thoughts, Spencer said. He said Crusius once searched online to look for ways to address his mental health and dropped out of a community college near Dallas because of his struggles.
Spencer said Crusius had arrived in El Paso without a specific target in mind before winding up at the Walmart.
“Patrick acted with his broken brain cemented in delusions,” Spencer said.

Patrick Crusius, [photo], had pleaded guilty to nearly 90 federal hate crime charges for the shooting that killed 23, injuring 26

The 21-year-old college student lived in Allen, Texas, about 30 minutes outside of Dallas. It is 650 miles – or a nine hour drive – from the scene of the shooting in El Paso

Described by those who knew him as a short-tempered ‘loner’ with long-held animosity toward Mexican immigrants, the 21-year-old college student killed 23, injuring 26 more at a Walmart in El Paso. Numerous others were severely traumatized as they hid or fled. 
The attack was the deadliest of a dozen mass shootings in the U.S. linked to hate crimes since 2006, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University.
Margaret Juarez, whose 90-year-old father was slain in the attack and whose mother was wounded but survived, said she found it ironic a racist like Crusius is set to spend his life in prison among inmates from racial and ethnic minorities.
Other relatives and survivors in the courtroom applauded as she celebrated their liberty.

Walmart employees visiting a memorial for the 23 shooting victims outside the store in El Paso on August 6, 2019

Amaris Vega, [photo], whose aunt Teresa Sanchez was killed in the shooting, speaking to the media outside federal court on July 6, 2023. Her aunt, mother, and grandmother were all inside the store during the shooting. All were injured, but her aunt died

Francisco Rodriguez wearing a T-shirt with an image of his son Javier, who was killed in the shooting, answers questions from the media outside federal court

“Swim in the waters of prison,” she told Crusius. “Now we’re going to enjoy the sunshine. … We still have our freedom, in our country.”
However, if sent to ADX Florence, Crusius will be housed in a solitary cell, with no contact with any other inmates.
The people who were killed ranged in age from a 15-year-old high school athlete to several elderly grandparents. They included immigrants, a retired city bus driver, teachers, tradesmen including a former iron worker, and several Mexican nationals who had crossed the U.S. border on routine shopping trips.

Jordan Anchondo [left], was shot dead while shielding her two-month-old son from gunfire on Saturday. Her husband Andre Anchondo seen [right] with Jordan, was also among the dead

Paul Jamrowski, the father of shooting victim Jordan Anchondo mourns his daughter and son-in-law Andre Anchondo, as he breaks down in tears while speaking with to the media outside federal court on July 5, 2023

Antonio Basco next to the coffin of his wife Margie Reckard at her funeral after she was killed in the Walmart shooting

Hilda Reckard stands alongside her husband Dean Reckard as they speak to gathered media outside court on Friday. Dean Reckard lost his mom Margie Reckard in the Walmart mass shooting

“He was shot at close range by a coward and there was his innocent blood everywhere,” said Kathleen Johnson, whose husband David was among the victims.
“I don’t know when I’ll be the same… The pain you have caused is indescribable.”
The sentencing marks the end of the federal criminal case against the gunman.
It comes nearly four years after the racially motivated shooting that devastated residents of the Borderland community.
Crusius pled guilty in February after federal prosecutors took the death penalty off the table. But Texas prosecutors have said they will attempt to put Crusius on death row when he stands trial in state court.
A date for that trial has not yet been set.