The Texas man accused of fatally shooting 23 people in 2019 at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas and injuring 22 more was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences on Friday, according to multiple reports.
The sentencing came after two days of impact statements from relatives of the victims.
Patrick Wood Crusius plead guilty in February to charges, which included 45 counts of hate crimes. As part of the plea deal, the 24-year old gunman accepted 90 consecutive life sentences, one for each count in the indictment. Prosecutors are still seeking the death penalty for Crusius when he goes to trial in state court, Politico reported.
FN has reached out to Walmart for a comment.
Crusius admitted to killing and harming people that appeared to be Hispanic, according to court records. Minutes before the shooting, he said he posted a manifesto online, describing himself as a white nationalist looking to kill Hispanic people.
Crusius’ defense attorney Joe Spencer told the court before sentencing that the violent attack was a result of mental illness, CNN reported.
At the time of the shooting in 2019, the attack was the second fatal shooting in one week at a Walmart location. Previously, a disgruntled employee at a Mississippi store killed two co-workers and injured a police officer.
This past November, a Walmart employee opened fire and killed six people on Nov. 22 in a Chesapeake, Va. store, police said. Walmart in April reopened this store with an outdoor memorial for the victims of the shooting.
