Key takeaways:
- Patrick Crusius pleaded guilty to 90 federal charges in connection to the 2019 El Paso Walmart shooting.
- The U.S. government had previously said it would not seek the death penalty for the hate crimes and firearms violations.
- Crusius still faces a potential death sentence if he is convicted on a state capital murder charge.
On Wednesday, Patrick Crusius, a 24-year-old man from Texas, pleaded guilty to federal charges of hate crimes and firearms violations in connection to the 2019 El Paso Walmart shooting. The shooting, which left 23 people dead, is one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.
Crusius appeared in the El Paso federal courtroom wearing a dark blue jumpsuit and handcuffs. He pleaded guilty to 90 federal charges in total. The U.S. government had previously said it would not seek the death penalty for the hate crimes and firearms violations.
Crusius had previously pleaded not guilty in the state case, but his lawyers announced last month that he would enter a guilty plea to the federal charges. He still faces a potential death sentence if he is convicted on a state capital murder charge.
The district attorney who had been leading the state case, Yvonne Rosales, resigned in November over accusations of incompetence involving hundreds of cases in El Paso and slowing down the case. It is unclear when Crusius might face trial on state charges.
The El Paso Walmart shooting was a devastating tragedy that left 23 people dead and many more injured. The guilty plea of Patrick Crusius to federal charges is a step towards justice for the victims and their families.
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