(GoRealNewsNow.com) – BREAKING NEWS NOW: A man from Texas who killed 23 people in an act of hatred against Hispanic shoppers at a local Walmart was sentenced on Friday to serve 90 life sentences consecutively. However, this might not end his punishment, as he could still face the death penalty.
The man, Patrick Crusius, who’s 24 years old, confessed to 50 federal hate crime charges related to the mass shooting incident that took place in El Paso in 2019. This case is one of the largest hate crime cases handled by the US government.
Throughout the court hearing, Crusius, dressed in prison clothing and handcuffed, remained silent and showed no emotions when his sentence was declared. The presiding judge suggested that Crusius serve his time in a maximum-security prison in Colorado.
According to the police, Crusius drove more than 700 miles from his home close to Dallas, intending to harm Hispanics at the store with an AK-style rifle. Before the attack, Crusius posted an online hate message cautioning about a Hispanic “invasion” of Texas.
In February, Crusius pleaded guilty after federal prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty. However, state prosecutors in Texas have said they will aim for the death penalty when he stands trial in state court. The date for this trial hasn’t been scheduled yet.
As Crusius was escorted out of the courtroom, a relative of one of the victims shouted at him, “We’ll be seeing you again, coward. No apologies, no nothing.”
Before the sentencing, the victims’ family members were allowed to express their grief and pain. Some even forgave Crusius, while others demanded that he answer for his actions. One man showed pictures of his father, who had been killed, and insisted that Crusius look at them.
The attack was the deadliest among twelve mass shootings in the US linked to hate crimes since 2006. Before the shooting, Crusius had shown deep interest in the nation’s immigration debate, posting tweets in support of former President Donald Trump’s strict border policies. In his online rant before the attack, he warned that Hispanics would take over the government and economy.
In court, one of the victims’ relatives criticized Crusius for failing in his hateful mission to rid Texas of Hispanics. She stated, “We are still here and we are not going anywhere. And for four years you have been stuck in a city full of Hispanics. … So let that sink in.”
The victims ranged in age from a 15-year-old high school athlete to several elderly grandparents, including immigrants, teachers, tradespeople, and Mexican nationals who were in the US for shopping. Two teenage girls shared their traumatic experience of narrowly escaping Crusius’ attack, which has left them in constant fear of public venues.
One of the victims’ wives lamented, “He was shot at close range by a coward and there was his innocent blood, everywhere. The pain you have caused is indescribable.”
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