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US not seeking death penalty for accused Walmart shooter

EL PASO, Texas — The Department of Justice has indicated that it will not seek the death penalty in the trial against a man accused of killing 23 people and injuring dozens more.

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In a filing in federal court on Jan. 17, attorneys representing the U.S. Department of Justice said that the government would not be seeking the death penalty in the case against Patrick Wood Crusius.

Crusius, 24, is accused of carrying out a racially motivated attack at a West Texas Walmart in 2019. Crusius is accused of targeting Mexicans when he killed 23 people and injured dozens more, The Associated Press reported. Crusius is charged with federal hate crimes offenses and firearms violations.

Crusius is facing capital murder charges in state court, where the district attorney’s office filed notice over the summer that it would seek the death penalty, CNN reported.

US v. Crusius by National Content Desk on Scribd

Crusius has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Crusius surrendered to the police and allegedly said, “I’m the shooter,” and admitted to targeting Mexicans, according to an arrest warrant obtained by the AP.

The federal trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 8, 2024. No trial date has been set for the charges in Texas court.