Gunman kills 20 in rampage at Walmart store in Texas

Agencies
August 4, 2019

El Paso, Aug 4: A gunman armed with a rifle killed 20 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, on August 3 and wounded more than two dozen before being arrested, authorities said, after the latest U.S. mass shooting sent panicked shoppers fleeing.

Many of those in the busy store were buying back-to-school supplies when they were caught up in the rampage, which came just six days after a teenage gunman killed three people at a food festival in Northern California.

Announcing the death toll at a news conference, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said it was “one of the deadliest days in Texas history.”

Mexico's President Manuel Lopez Obrador said three Mexicans were among the dead and six were among the wounded. It was the eighth worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, after the 1984 shooting in San Ysidro that killed 21 people.

The suspect was identified as a 21-year-old white male from Allen, Texas, a Dallas-area city some 650 miles (1,046 km) east of El Paso.

Asked during a CNN interview about reports of disturbing social media posts apparently made by the suspect, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he would not be surprised in any way.

still interviewing him.”

El Paso police chief Greg Allen said authorities had a manifesto from the suspect that indicates “there is a potential nexus to a hate crime.”

The suspect was taken into custody without incident, according to authorities.

Citing a law enforcement source, El Paso television station KTSM published on its website what it said were two photos of the suspect taken by security cameras as he entered the Walmart.

The images showed a young white man wearing glasses, khaki trousers and a dark T-shirt, and pointing an assault-style rifle. He appears to be wearing headphones or ear defenders.

Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the images.

'Very bad, many killed'

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter that the reports from El Paso were “very bad, many killed.”

University Medical Centre of El Paso received 13 patients, including one who died, hospital spokesman Ryan Mielke told CNN.

Some of the patients were in surgery while others were in stable condition, he added.

Two of the patients who arrived at the hospital were children with non-life threatening injuries who were transferred to El Paso Children's Hospital, he said.

Local media said there was such an overwhelming response to an appeal by the police department for blood donations to help the wounded that long lines formed at medical centres, some of which had to tell would-be donors to come back on Sunday.

'People were panicking'

Multiple law enforcement agencies raced to the scene at the Walmart and nearby Cielo Vista Mall, including police, state troopers, Homeland Security agents and border patrol.

Shoppers fled for their lives, including Kianna Long who was at the Walmart with her husband when they heard gunfire.

“People were panicking and running, saying that there was a shooter,” Ms. Long said. “They were running close to the floor, people were dropping on the floor.”

Ms. Long and her husband sprinted through a stock room at the back of the store before sheltering with other customers in a steel container in a shipping area.

Graphic video from the scene posted on social media showed what appeared to be dead bodies and wounded victims. Tales of heroism also emerged.

Walmart said in a statement, “We're in shock over the tragic events at Cielo Vista Mall... We're praying for the victims, the community & our associates, as well as the first responders.”

Stores at the mall were also locked down as police officers cleared the shopping centre in the east of the city, which lies on the southern U.S. border with Mexico.

Video posted on Twitter showed customers at one department store being evacuated with their hands up.

Mass shootings are common in the United States. On Sunday, a teenage gunman opened fire with an assault-style rifle on the crowd at a food festival in Northern California, killing three people before fatally shooting himself.

At a Democratic presidential candidate forum in Las Vegas a clearly emotional Beto O'Rourke, a former Texas congressman who is from El Paso, broke the news to the audience that he had just heard about the deadly mass shooting in his home city.

Mr. O'Rourke said he had spoken to his wife Amy, who was driving in the city with one of their children. Addressing reporters, he teared up and struggled to deliver a short statement.

“I am incredibly saddened and it's very hard to think about this,” he said. “El Paso is the strongest place in the world. This community is going to come together. I'm going back there right now to be with my family, to be with my home town.”  

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News Network
November 18,2024

Advisors to US President-elect Donald Trump have instructed his allies and associates to refrain from using the inflammatory language they previously employed when discussing issues related to migrants and the deportation of asylum seekers, in a bid to avoid “looking like Nazis.”

US media reports said that Trump’s associates had been asked to stop using the word “camps” to describe potential facilities that would be used to accommodate migrants rounded up in deportation operations across the country.

The reports said the US president-elect’s allies had been ordered to stave off such charged terms as they would bring to mind “Nazis,” and be used against Trump.

“I have received some guidance to avoid terms, like ‘camps,’ that can be twisted and used against the president, yes,” one Trump ally told American monthly magazine Rolling Stone.

“Apparently, some people think it makes us look like Nazis.”

The presidential advisers also cautioned surrogates and allies to keep racist terms, which have dogged Trump’s campaign, out of their remarks.

They said with Trump’s heated rhetoric that used to compare undocumented immigrants to “animals” and his slight that they are “poisoning the blood of our country,” detractors did not need to reach too far to find parallels to Nazi Germany.

Stephen Miller, who Trump tapped to be his deputy chief of staff of policy, specifically used the word “camps” to describe holding facilities that he hoped the military could put together for immigrants.

Tom Homan, who served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is chosen by Trump to be in charge of the US borders, was no stranger to such language.

“It’s not gonna be a mass sweep of neighborhoods,” he said in an interview earlier this week. “It’s not gonna be building concentration camps. I’ve read it all. It’s ridiculous.”

Becoming a little more forthright about the new government’s aggressive deportation plans, Homan likened the early days of the Trump administration to the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003.

“I got three words for them – shock and awe,” he said. “You’re going to see us take this country back.”

Trump made immigration a central element of his 2024 presidential campaign but unlike his first run, which was mainly focused on building a border wall, he has shifted his attention to interior enforcement and the removal of undocumented immigrants already in the United States.

People close to the US president and his aides are laying the groundwork for expanding detention facilities to fulfill his mass deportation campaign promise.

The businessman-turned-politician deported more than 1.5 million people during his first term.

The figure do not include the millions of people turned away at the border under a Covid-era policy enacted by Trump and used during most of Biden’s term.

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News Network
November 4,2024

shahrukh.jpg

Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood superstar once known for being a chain smoker, has revealed that he has finally kicked the habit. The revelation came during an event organized by his fan clubs in Bandra to celebrate his 59th birthday on Saturday. 

In a video shared by fans on X, Shah Rukh mentioned, "There’s a good thing – I’m not smoking anymore, guys. I thought I wouldn’t feel so breathless after quitting, but I still do. Inshallah, that will also improve."

The actor has faced criticism for his smoking in the past, most notably in 2012 when he was seen smoking during an IPL match between his team, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rajasthan Royals. Shah Rukh was fined a modest Rs 100 after pleading guilty in court in Jaipur for smoking in public.

During the same event, Shah Rukh held an Ask SRK session where fans asked questions. One fan inquired about what he has learned from his children. In his signature witty style, Shah Rukh recounted his birthday morning with charming anecdotes: "I woke up late after a dinner last night, spent time with my little one whose iPad wasn’t working, then my daughter had issues with her outfits... and then my elder son." The actor’s relatable details entertained the crowd, as always.

Shah Rukh went on to say, "I learn a lot from my family. The more children you have, the more patient you become! That’s what I carry with me to work – patience, love, and care. Whether at home, on set, or in the office, I’m there to fix things for everyone. Patience is the biggest lesson my family has taught me."

Shah Rukh Khan’s career continues to soar after an impressive comeback, with blockbuster hits like Pathaan and Jawan. His recent film Dunki received a more mixed response from the audience.

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News Network
November 4,2024

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Bengaluru: In a chilling case of moral policing gone violent, three men have been arrested for the brutal murder of a 21-year-old college student at a farmhouse near Bengaluru. The accused, identified as Chandru, Nagesh, and Murali from Honnapura, allegedly killed the student, Punith, following an altercation.

Punith, a BCom student at a private college, had gone to the Chikkenahalli Farmhouse on October 26 with seven classmates, including two women, for a casual outing. According to police reports, the group was enjoying their time when the accused, all locals, became aware of the gathering.

At around 10:30 pm, the three men stormed the farmhouse and began recording videos of Punith’s female classmates, who were in the swimming pool. They verbally abused the students, questioning their presence and demanding to know who had permitted them to use the farmhouse.

When Punith protested against their actions, the situation escalated violently. He was viciously attacked with a wooden log, sustaining severe head injuries. Punith was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries three days later. Another student, Likith, was also assaulted but suffered only minor injuries.

The Ramanagara Rural police have registered a case of murder against the suspects, who are now in custody. Further investigations are ongoing.

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