The suspect behind Saturday’s deadly shooting in El Paso, Texas, reportedly devised a manifesto explaining his race-based motives for the attack.
The shooting took place at a Walmart in the late morning. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced in the evening that 20 people were killed, and police said 26 others were injured and have been taken to local hospitals for treatment. Police detained a suspect they said was a 21-year-old white man from Allen, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. Although police have not confirmed the exact identity of the suspect, a law enforcement source in El Paso told the Washington Examiner that Patrick Crusius is the name of the individual taken into custody.
El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen said investigators, who are looking for a motive, have a manifesto believed to be from the suspect that “indicates to some degree, has a nexus to potential hate crime.”
A law enforcement official in El Paso tells me the Walmart shooter opened fire outside before walking in the store.
“He shot and killed locals that were fundraising outside the Walmart selling water. Children and adults.” pic.twitter.com/ns0pyssIhk
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) August 3, 2019
A four-page document that has been tied to Crusius has been circulating online on forums such as 4chan and 8chan throughout the day. It discusses a desire to stop the “Hispanic invasion of Texas” and cites inspiration from the March mass shootings in two Christchurch, New Zealand, mosques that killed 51 people and injured 49 more.
“In general, I support the Christchurch shooter and his manifesto. This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas. They are the instigators, not me. I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion,” the manifesto said.
The document said the lengthy manifesto written by the accused Christchurch shooter, called “The Great Replacement,” inspired him to target the Hispanic community. That 74-page manifesto hailed President Trump as a “symbol of renewed white identity” and expressed hope the attack would spark a second civil war in the United States.
The document tied to Crusius, which was written at an unknown time before the shooting Saturday, lays out political and economical concerns surrounding immigration, including fears of the U.S. becoming a “one-party state” and a lack of sustainability. It also discusses gear, including the potential use of of of two different kinds of rifles, and expectations for reactions to the attack. Police have not confirmed which type of gun was used in the attack.
If the manifesto does belong to the suspect, it would indicate Crusius had a change of heart about dying for the cause. The document said, “My death is likely inevitable. If I’m not killed by the police, then I’ll probably be gunned down by one of the invaders. Capture in this case if far worse than dying during the shooting because I’ll get the death penalty anyway. Worse still is that I would live knowing that my family despises me. This is why I’m not going to surrender even if I run out of ammo. If I’m captured, it will be because I was subdued somehow.”
However, police said the suspect surrendered to officers as they approached him near Walmart.
There have been reports of social media accounts linked to Crusius too, with posts that indicate support for Trump and building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but they have since been taken down, and it has not been confirmed they belonged to the suspect. The manifesto distanced the author from the president, insisting the beliefs outlined “predate Trump and his campaign.”
“Some people will blame the President or certain presidential candidates for the attack,” it read. “This is not the case.”
El Paso is a Hispanic-majority city of about 687,000 people located on the U.S.-Mexico border that is near the westernmost tip of Texas. The city is approximately 659 miles to the west of Allen, Texas, where the suspect is from.
The manifesto does not mention El Paso, but discussed how a low-security target was preferable. “Remember: it is not cowardly to pick low hanging fruit. AKA Don’t attack heavily guarded areas to fulfill your super soldier COD fantasy. Attack low security targets. Even though you might out gun a security guard or police man, they likely beat you in armor, training and numbers. Do not throw away your life on an unnecessarily dangerous target. If a target seems too hot, live to fight another day,” the document read.
Republican State Rep. Jeff Leach, who represents parts of Allen and Plano, said in a statement that Crusius was a 2017 graduate of Plano Senior High School and resided in Allen. “As State Representative for this area, I am communicating directly with local law enforcement, Plano ISD leaders & fellow state officials to ensure we are responding appropriately and offering any and all assistance and aide to our friends in El Paso,” he said.
Collin College, located just north of Allen, put out a statement that said a student by the name of Patrick Crusius attended the school from fall 2017 through spring 2019. “Collin College is prepared to cooperate fully with state and federal authorities in their investigation of this senseless tragedy. We join the governor and all Texans in expressing our heartfelt concern for the victims of the shooting and their loved ones,” the statement said.
