EL PASO, Texas — The gunman responsible for one of the deadliest mass shootings in Texas history formally pleaded guilty to capital murder in an El Paso courtroom on Monday.
Patrick Crusius, now 26, admitted to killing 23 people in a racially motivated attack at a Walmart in El Paso on August 3, 2019. He had driven more than 700 miles from Allen, a suburb north of Dallas, with the intent to target Hispanic shoppers.
In a courtroom packed with nearly 100 relatives of the victims, Crusius entered his guilty plea in exchange for a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. This plea deal means he will not face the death penalty in state court.
The decision follows a previous federal sentencing in 2023, when Crusius pleaded guilty to hate crimes and firearms violations. He received 90 consecutive life sentences for those charges.
El Paso District Attorney James Montoya explained that the plea agreement was offered in part because many of the victims’ families were ready for closure. While some families supported the decision, others expressed opposition. Montoya noted that pursuing the death penalty could have delayed a trial until as late as 2028.
“You came to inflict terror, to take innocent lives, and to shatter a community that had done nothing but stand for kindness, unity and love,” Judge Sam Medrano told Crusius during Monday’s proceedings.
“Now, as you begin the rest of your life locked away, remember this: your mission failed. You did not divide this city — you strengthened it. You did not silence its voice — you made it louder. You did not instill fear — you inspired unity. El Paso rose, stronger and braver.”
The attack occurred on a busy Saturday morning at a Walmart near the Cielo Vista Mall. Armed with an AK-style rifle, Crusius began shooting in the parking lot before entering the store. Minutes before the massacre, he had posted a hate-filled manifesto online, claiming the attack was a response to what he called a “Hispanic invasion of Texas.”
Crusius later confessed to law enforcement that he was specifically targeting people of Mexican descent.
In total, 23 people were killed, ranging in age from 15 to elderly grandparents. An additional 22 victims sustained injuries in the attack.
The shooting shocked the nation and became a painful symbol of racially motivated violence in America. The city of El Paso has continued to honor the victims and stand united in the face of hatred.
