The gunman who killed 23 people in a mass shooting at a Walmart near the Texas-Mexico border in 2019 has agreed to pay families of the victims more than $5 million, over two months after he was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences.
The gunman was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences earlier this year after killing 23 people ... [+]
Patrick Crusius, 24, has agreed to pay $5.5 million in restitution for the families of the victims, after an agreement was approved by federal Judge David Guaderrama.
Crusius agreed to pay restitution after signing a plea agreement in February, according to a court filing, though the amount was not determined until Monday.
Crusius was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences in July, after he pleaded guilty to 90 federal charges in February, including 23 counts of hate crimes resulting in death, 23 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence, 22 counts of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill and 22 counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The shooting—which resulted in 23 deaths and more than 20 injuries—is the fifth-deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, according to the Gun Violence Archive. It is also the deadliest mass shooting linked to a hate crime, according to a database compiled by the Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University.
It’s unclear how much of the $5.5 million will reach victims or how much Crusius’ assets are worth, but the odds that federal defendants can make full payments are often “very low,” according to the Justice Department, which noted most defendants don’t have sufficient assets to repay their victims. Restitution agreements exceeding hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars are “not unusual,” the Justice Department said, and it is “rare” that defendants are able to pay the entire amount owed. The Justice Department proposed changes to the restitution payment process in January, amid concerns that most victims in federal cases were not paid. The new rule would put 75% of money sent or donated to prisoners toward restitution, though it is unknown whether the rule will be implemented.
Crusius opened fire with an AK-47-style gun in the parking lot of a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in 2019 before entering the store. He later surrendered to a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper after fleeing the scene, identifying himself as the shooter. Prior to the shooting, Crusius had posted “#BuildtheWall” on Twitter and other social media platforms while calling for strict border policies, according to the Associated Press. Crusius—who posted a racist manifesto online for his hatred of Hispanics—told law enforcement officials he was attempting to “defend his country,” adding his attack targeted Hispanics to discourage Mexicans from coming to the U.S. Crusius was sentenced after two days of impact statements from relatives of victims and survivors of the attack, who both noted they still harbor fear from the incident. Texas prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Crusius in a separate trial, though a trial date has not been set. The federal government did not seek the death penalty in its case against Crusius.
Racist Gunman In 2019 Texas Walmart Shooting Given 90 Life Sentences—Could Still Face Death Penalty (Forbes)
Texas Walmart Shooter Agrees To Pay More Than $5 Million To Families Over 2019 Racist Attack (Associated Press)