El Paso mayor issues local disaster declaration after mass shooting
Police officers take security measures at the scene of shooting incident at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, United States on August 03, 2019. (Jonathan Yturales /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
EL PASO, Texas - The mayor of El Paso has issued a local disaster declaration Sunday in response to Saturday's mass shooting at a local Walmart.
Mayor Dee Margo tweeted a statement on the declaration, saying that it activates state recovery efforts necessary for El Paso to address needs stemming from Saturday's shooting.
"Our community has been resilient and we will not be defined by this weekend's senseless act of violence," Margo said in the statement. "We will stay united as we work through the long healing process. We are incredibly proud of all our local, state, and federal first responders."
20 people were killed and 26 injured in the shooting at a Walmart near the Cielo Vista Mall, which also resulted in property damage. The suspect, a 21-year-old man from Allen, Texas, was taken into custody following the shooting.
The statement says that the city faces an exhaustion of resources for long-term recovery, "including mental health issues affecting the community and first responders."
The disaster declaration, in addition to triggering financial and physical assistance, activates the city and El Paso County's emergency management plan.