Key takeaways:
- The U.S. Department of Justice announced they will not seek the death penalty for Patrick Crusius, accused of fatally shooting nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at a West Texas Walmart in 2019.
- Crusius is charged with federal hate crimes and firearms violations, as well as capital murder in state court.
- The attack at the Walmart in El Paso killed 22 people and injured 24 others, and the trial for Crusius is expected to begin in October.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a one-sentence notice with the federal court in El Paso, announcing that they will not seek the death penalty for Patrick Crusius, who is accused of fatally shooting nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at a West Texas Walmart in 2019.
Crusius, a Dallas-area native, is charged with federal hate crimes and firearms violations, as well as capital murder in state court. He has pleaded not guilty.
The Department of Justice did not explain why they chose not to pursue capital punishment in their court filing. However, if convicted in state court, Crusius could still face the death penalty.
The attack at the Walmart in El Paso was one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history. It killed 22 people and injured 24 others. The attack was allegedly motivated by racism, as Crusius allegedly targeted Hispanic people.
The trial for Crusius is expected to begin in October. It is unclear at this time what sentence he could face if convicted.
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