The El Paso Walmart mass shooter is expected to make his final court appearance before spending the rest of his life in prison.
The gunman, 26-year-old Patrick Crusius, is expected to plead guilty and be sentenced to life in prison at a 9 a.m. hearing Monday, April 21, in the racially motivated mass shooting nearly six years ago at a Walmart in the Cielo Vista area of East El Paso.
The hearing is open to the public, but space will be limited because of the massive number of people attending. Medrano is allowing news outlets to live stream the plea and sentencing hearing.
Watch live: 2019 El Paso Walmart shooting hearing
The live stream can be viewed below.
‘Grand Candela’ memorial remains quiet
The small plaza around the “Grand Candela” memorial in the parking lot of the El Paso Walmart remains quiet ahead of the sentencing. The candle-like structure was constructed in memory of the victims and survivors of the Aug. 3, 2019 massacre.
– Jeff Abbott
Heightened security at Downtown El Paso courthouse
El Paso County deputy and constable vehicles block the streets in front and back of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso as security was heightened for the Walmart mass shooter’s hearing today.
Patrick Crusius, 26, is expected to plead guilty in the state of Texas case against him related to the Aug. 3, 2019 mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso. Twenty-three people were killed in the attack.
Dozens of law enforcement officers stood watch around the courthouse with bomb-sniffing dogs searching the area.
The courthouse had an unprecedented security presence hours before the gunman was scheduled to appear in court.
– Aaron Martinez
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: The 2019 El Paso Walmart shooter to plead guilty in court today: Live updates
Reporting by Aaron Martinez, Natassia Paloma, Aaron A. Bedoya and Tim Archuleta, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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