In an El Paso courthouse not far from where a gunman killed 23 people at a Walmart in a 2019 attack targeting Hispanic shoppers, victims’ family members and survivors got their last chance to address him face-to-face in court this week.

Nearly six years after a man fatally shot 23 people in a racist attack targeting Hispanic shoppers at a Walmart in Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border, the gunman's criminal case is set to come to a close.

We can't allow a shooter to define who we are, and were not going to allow a virus to define who El Paso is, Samaniego said. El Paso residents describe the friendliness of the city, which has one of the lowest crime rates in the U.S. Authorities say Patrick Crusius confessed to driving to El Paso from his home near Dallas to target Mexicans, and just before the attack posted a racist screed online. Dr. Jose Burgos, who was working as shooting victims arrived at University Medical Center and now helps coordinate care for COVID-19 patients, said his alarm that Hispanics were targeted lingers. The morning of the shooting, Melendez's parents took their granddaughter Kaitlyn to the Walmart to get new clothes and a basketball.