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El Paso police say fight between 2 groups led to fatal shooting at Cielo Vista Mall
El Paso police say a fight between two groups was behind the shooting that left one person dead and three others injured inside Cielo Vista Mall.
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El Paso police say fight between 2 groups led to fatal shooting at Cielo Vista Mall
Daniel Borunda Aaron MartinezEl Paso Times
A random fight between two groups of young men at Cielo Vista Mall on Wednesday night led to a person being killed and three others injured, El Paso police said.
The fight happened around 5 p.m. when the two groups got into a fight at the mall's food court, El Paso Police Department interim police Chief Peter Pacillas said.
A person in one of the groups then pulled out a gun and fired it, Pacillas said. Police did not release information on whether the other group also had guns and whether they returned fire.
The shooting is not believed to be gang related, Pacillas said.
The fight resulted in two people in each group being shot. One person died and three others were injured in the shooting.
University Medical Center of El Paso received two of the injured at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday. The two remained in UMC’s Intensive Care Unit in critical condition as of Thursday, hospital spokesman Ryan Mielke said.
One person was taken to Del Sol Medical Center and was in fair condition, a hospital official said Wednesday night.
An off-duty El Paso Police Department officer who was working security at the mall arrested one of the suspects at 5:08 p.m. — minutes after police received the first reports of a shooting at 5:05 p.m.
Another suspect was then taken into custody by law enforcement. No information on when or where the second suspect was arrested has been released.
Police also have not released the names or ages of the people involved in the shooting. Pacillas only said the ages ranged from late teens to early 20s.
No officer fired a weapon during the incident.
"It was a dynamic scene and it was quickly brought under control," he said.
Cielo Vista Mall still was closed to the public Thursday morning as police continued their investigation. The mall was expected to reopen late Thursday afternoon, Pacillas said.
Shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday, police announced they were releasing vehicles and any property left at the scene. People were asked to enter the mall from the south entrance from Gateway West Boulevard. An officer at the entrance would guide people through the process. People should take their vehicle keys and a photo ID.
Upload photos, videos of shooting scene to FBI website
FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeff Downey said a website, www.fbi.gov/cielovistamallshooting, was created so people can upload photos and videos from the shooting scene.Cellphone videos posted on social media showed customers running out of the mall into the parking lot as police rushed to the scene.
El Paso police, including the SWAT team, and units from other agencies responded to help clear and secure the mall, Police Department spokesman Sgt. Robert Gomez said Wednesday night.
A family reunification center was established at nearby Burges High School, 7800 Edgemere Blvd.
As people were evaluated and cleared by police, they were taken to the school via Sun Metro buses, Pacillas said at a news conference Wednesday night.
Gomez said police gathered witnesses as they cleared the mall Wednesday.
A large police presence remained at the mall late Wednesday night as the public was asked by police to stay away from the area.
Some customers and mall employees took shelter inside the mall during the shooting. The movie theater in the parking lot also was temporarily locked down.
Late into the night, dozens of police officers, some armed with rifles, remained inside and around Cielo Vista Mall and the neighboring Fountains of Farah shopping center.
A SWAT team entered the mall as El Paso police were joined by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, the U.S. Border Patrol and FBI agents.
City officials praised the rapid response by law enforcement agencies in the area after the El Paso Police Department issued a citywide tactical alert.
Texas governor, others react
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said via Twitter on Wednesday: "I spoke to (El Paso) Mayor (Oscar) Leeser about the shooting tonight in El Paso. l offered the full support of the State of Texas, including the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Division of Emergency Management to help the city of El Paso respond to this tragic event."In a tweet, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, responded to Abbott, saying, "How about gun violence prevention legislation for our community’s security? You promised you would take action after the August 3rd shooting and you’ve done nothing but loosen gun laws. The legislature is in session. Be a man of your word for once and do something!"
Former presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke tweeted: "This shooting at Cielo Vista is painful for El Paso, especially the families of those killed at the nearby Walmart in 2019. I don't know the details yet. But what I do know is that I love this town and I will do everything I can to stop this from happening again."
El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser tried to reassure the city Wednesday night, saying in a statement, "As our community faced a shooting threat this evening, our emergency responders, law enforcement officers as well as our agency partners responded immediately to the emergency situation. There is no current threat to our community."
At a news conference later that night, Leeser said the El Paso Police Department was assisted by other area law enforcement agencies in helping secure the community's safety, and he applauded the quick, unified response. He also emphasized that the Police Department is leading the investigation.
Other city of El Paso leaders respond to shooting
El Paso city Reps. Art Fierro and Joe Molinar were attending a community meeting when they first received word of the scene unfolding at Cielo Vista Mall, Fierro said, and the two made their way to Burges High School to visit the family reunification center.“First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to all the family and friends,” Fierro said. “We’re just seeing if there’s any way we can volunteer and comfort some of these families.”
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People sheltered in various stores within the mall when the shooting began and were ushered out through one exit once the scene had been secured. From there, people waited at Burges, where Fierro said many sat in the arena’s stand as more arrived.
He praised law enforcement for its well-organized response.
“It’s just amazing how fast law enforcement got together ...,” Fierro said while at Burges. “It’s heartbreaking they had to, but it’s so organized.”
State Sen. César Blanco, D-El Paso, posted on Twitter: "I'm disappointed to hear about the shooting that took place in Cielo Vista Mall this evening. In a community that has been tragically struck by gun violence, today's events open unhealed wounds. Praying for the deceased victim & those injured. Thank you to all law enforcement officers and first responders who quickly responded to the scene and are working to keep our community safe. We’re in close contact with city, state officials, Department of Public Safety, and Texas Department of Emergency Management to ensure state resources and assistance is available in the response and aftermath."
Cielo Vista Mall is next to the Walmart store where a gunman killed 23 people on Aug. 3, 2019. The Walmart shooter pleaded guilty last week to federal hate crime charges in the mass shooting targeting Latinos.
Cielo Vista Mall's website and Facebook page on Thursday said the mall would reopen that afternoon. However, mall officials did not immediately respond to questions from the El Paso Times to confirm the reopening.
Olivia Troye, a former Homeland Security and counterterrorism adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, said on Twitter that her aunt was “in hiding at Cielo Vista mall” after the shooting.
More:Physical, emotional damage could last lifetime for survivors of El Paso Walmart shooting
“She survived the 2019 Wal-Mart El Paso shooting thanks to someone who pulled her to safety. What is it going to take to enact change?!” Troye wrote in a post just after 6 p.m. Wednesday.
According to her profile, Troye works for a think tank called 97 Percent, whose stated mission is to support a nonpartisan approach to “common-sense gun reform” that includes gun owners.
El Paso's Catholic leaders heartbroken by violence
"We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the tragic shooting that occurred today at the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso," El Paso Catholic Bishop Mark J. Seitz and Auxiliary Bishop-elect Anthony C. Celino said in a statement Wednesday night. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this senseless act of violence."We stand in solidarity with the entire community of El Paso during this difficult time and offer our support and prayers for healing and peace. We ask that everyone join us in praying for the victims, their families, and for an end to the culture of violence that plagues our society," Seitz and Celino stated.
Need help dealing with shooting's aftermath?
The shooting at Cielo Vista Mall could be triggering and bring up memories of the Aug. 3, 2019, attack at Walmart. Help is available.Anyone needing counseling, guidance or simply needing to talk to someone can call Emergence Health Network’s 24-hour Crisis Line, 915-779-1800.
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