El Paso shooting tragic, act of cowardice, says Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump condoled Saturday “terrible” mass shooting in Texas, saying there were reports of many people being killed in the attack. “Terrible shootings in El Paso, Texas. Reports are very bad, many killed,” Trump wrote on Twitter after the shooting at Walmart store. “Working with State and Local authorities, and Law Enforcement. Spoke to Governor to pledge total support of Federal Government. God be with you all!"

Trump said he had spoken to Texas Governor Greg Abbott but did not clarify whether the reports of multiple fatalities that he referred to on Twitter came from the media or from his briefings with officials.

Today’s shooting in El Paso, Texas was not only tragic, it was an act of cowardice. I know that I stand with everyone in this Country to condemn today’s hateful act. There are no reasons or excuses that will ever justify killing innocent people....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2019

A shooting in Texas left at least 20 people dead and about 30 injured on Saturday. The massacre happened at a Walmart store near the Cielo Vista Mall, a few miles from the US-Mexican border. At least one suspect was taken into custody after the shooting in the border city of El Paso, triggering fear and panic among weekend shoppers as well as widespread condemnation. Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of Texas, confirmed that there had been up to 20 casualties in the shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall after local television networks had reported similar numbers. “We have between 15 and 20 casualties, we don’t know the number of fatalities,” Patrick told Fox News.

The suspect has been named by US media as Patrick Crusius, a resident of Dallas-area city of Allen.

It was the second fatal shooting in less than a week at a Walmart store in the US and comes after a mass shooting in California last weekend.

El Paso Mayor Dee Margo acknowledged that there had been a number of deaths after gunfire was first heard around 10 am.

“I can’t confirm the number of fatalities. But there are fatalities,” he told CNN.

“It is a tragedy and I don’t want to comment until I have full information. It is a tragedy, I’m just so torn up about it.” Margo said three suspects were in custody, though police spokesman Sergeant Robert Gomez said he could confirm only one suspect in custody at the moment.