‘CHILDREN AND ADULTS’: Death toll rises in horror Walmart mass shooting

Police in the Texas city of El Paso say multiple people have been killed in a mass shooting after a gunman reportedly opened fire inside a Walmart store. 

At least 18 people are dead and at least 22 others, including a four-month-old baby, were injured in the shooting at the Cielo Vista mall.

One suspect, a 21-year-old male, is in custody. He has been identified as Patrick Crusius from Dallas.

Crusius allegedly went on a 20-minute shooting spree, with one a law enforcement official saying he “shot and killed locals that were fundraising outside the Walmart selling water. Children and adults”.

He then surrendeed clamly to a SWAT team and was led away from the scene.

Surveillance footage allegedly shows Crusius, who is wearing either headphones or ear defenders, walking through the front entrance of the Walmart with an AK-47 assault rifle.

Hospitals say they are treating 22 victims of the shooting, not including at least one who died during treatment, the Associated Press reports.
 

A law enforcement official in El Paso told me the Walmart shooter is in custody. Patrick Crusius of Dallas. Just turned 21 years old this week. pic.twitter.com/CEJh6rYij1

— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) August 3, 2019

Texas Congresswoman Veronica Escobar has described the scene as a “massacre”.

Talking to CNN, she said, “I don’t want to announce anything yet but I will say the numbers are shocking.”

McDonald’s inside Walmart near Cielo Vista pic.twitter.com/DUGz0YsDui

— Joshua Anthony ∞ (@itsjawwsh_) August 3, 2019

There were initial reports of multiple shooters but Sgt Robert Gomez later said “we have ruled out multiple shooters.”

Reports on social media indicate that a manifesto written by the alleged shooter was circulated on various websites but this has not been confirmed.

The document allegedly claimed a “Hispanic invasion of Texas” was the motive for the massacre.

Police were called to the Cielo Vista Mall just after 10am local time (1am AEST).

Witnesses said a shooter opened fire with a “rifle” or some other “semi-automatic” type weapon, KTSM 9 News reported.

Other witnesses have described the shooter carrying an AK-47.

US President Donald Trump responded to the incident on Twitter. “Terrible shootings in El Paso, Texas. Reports are very bad, many killed....God be with you all!”

Terrible shootings in ElPaso, Texas. Reports are very bad, many killed. Working with State and Local authorities, and Law Enforcement. Spoke to Governor to pledge total support of Federal Government. God be with you all!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2019

Eleven of the victims have been transported to the University Medical Centre of El Paso, according to Ryan Mielke, the hospital’s Director of Public Affairs. Their injuries range from severe to non-life threatening.

Del Sol Medical Centre has also received 11 people from the scene of the shooting, according to hospital spokesman Victor Guerrero.

A woman named Vanessa told Fox News she was walking into Walmart when she heard what she describes as “fireworks, really loud fireworks.”

“You could hear the pops, one right after another and at that point as I was turning, I saw a lady, seemed she was coming out of Walmart, headed to her car,” she said. “She had her groceries in her cart and I saw her just fall.”