April 27 (UPI) — Another victim of the El Paso Walmart shooting has died, a hospital official said Sunday, increasing the death toll for one of the United States’ deadliest mass shootings to 23.
David Shimp, chief executive officer of the Del Sol Medical Center, confirmed in a statement Sunday, that Guillermo “Memo” Garcia died of injuries sustained during the August attack.
“His courage, his strength and his story have touched many lives, including those of our caregivers, who tirelessly fought with him and for him every step of the way,” Shimp said. “We are grieving with his family and with our community.”
Garcia and his wife, Jessica Garcia, were at the El Paso Walmart on Aug. 3 when a gunman opened fire, striking some 40 people. Twenty people were initially killed in the attack and 26 others, including the married pair, were injured.
The Garcias were hospitalized at the Del Sol Medical Center, and Memo was its last patient from the shooting, Shimp said. Jessica, who was shot in the leg, was earlier discharged.
In a statement to FOX14, she said her husband died at 11:22 p.m. Saturday.
“We lost a warrior but gained an angel,” she said. “He fought long and hard, with the help of all his troops he won many battles but lost the war.”
She said once social distancing orders are withdrawn, “a proper memorial” and mass will be held.
Patrick Crusius, 21, has been indicted on 90 federal charges, including 22 counts of hate crimes resulting in death, for the shooting. According to court documents, Crusius allegedly uploaded a document to the Internet the day of the attack stating it was “a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.”
