Mexico City, Mexico — UPDATED: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says six Mexican nationals were killed and nine injured in the mass shooting that took place at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas Saturday.
Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard says four women and two men were killed when an lone gunman entered the U.S. store and began shooting. The deceased have been identified as Sara Esther Regalado from Chihuahua, Adolfo Cerros Hernández from Aguascalientes, Jorge Calvillo García from Coahuila, Elsa Mendoza de la Mora of Chihuahua, Gloria Irma Márquez of Chihuahua and María Eugenia Legarreta, also of the state of Chihuahua.
Marcelo Ebrard, who reiterated his condolences, announced on Sunday afternoon measures that will be taken as a result of the attack against Mexican nationals living in the United States.
At a press conference, he reported that a terrorism lawsuit will be filed against the shooter and added that la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) will promote the corresponding legal actions against whomever is responsible for the sale of assault weapons, to anyone who can be attributed not only for firing, but also for selling the weapon.
“The issue of weapons is a crucial issue and now with what has happened, it is urgent that we take the corresponding legal actions,” said the head of the SRE.
“Regarding the events that occurred Saturday in El Paso, Texas, Mexico expresses its deepest rejection and forceful condemnation, an act of barbarism in which innocent Mexicans lost their lives with another nine people injured,” he said in his public statement.
On Saturday morning, a man entered an El Paso Walmart and began firing, killing 20 and injuring 26. Shortly after the attack, police arrested 21-year-old Patrick Wood Crusius, charged with capital murder. Police say Crusius is believed to have published a white nationalist, anti-immigrant manifesto online just before he headed to the shopping area.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a possible hate crime.
This latest shooting rampage in the U.S. was the second in less than 14 hours when another mass shooting occurred in Dayton, Ohio when a lone gunman opened fire around 1:00 a.m. in the city’s busy downtown Oregon District killing nine and injuring 26.
A week ago, another gunman killed three people at a California food festival.
UPDATE: Two more Mexican nationals have died as a result of injuries sustained in the Saturday morning shooting at an El Paso Walmart. On Monday, Marcelo Ebrard said he was notified of the death of two more Mexicans.
“I am informed that, unfortunately, eight nationals have died as a result of the terrorist act on Saturday,” he said.