A shooting near a shopping mall in El Paso has left multiple victims, including at least 10 with serious injuries, according to police and hospital authorities.
El Paso police tweeted at about noon local time that they have “reports of multiple shooters.”
In several earlier tweets Saturday, police urged people to stay away from the area near the Cielo Vista mall due to an “active shooter.”
The police tweeted that the shooter was in the area of Hawkins and Gateway East boulevards, which is the location of a Walmart.
A University Medical Center of El Paso spokesman said multiple victims have been taken to different hospitals. University Medical Center got at least 10 victims with “level one” injuries, which is the most serious level, spokesman Ryan Mielke said.
“Scene is still active avoid the area,” the department wrote.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, was an hour into a town hall meeting at Coronado High School 15 miles from the mall, when she abruptly had to end the event because of the shooting.
“You all, I am so sorry,” she said. “There is an active shooter. We are going to need to clear the event.”
The crowd gasped in response and began to move, according to the congresswoman’s Facebook Live video.
“Oh, it’s at Cielo Vista,” Escobar quickly clarified before apologizing for not being clearer.“We’ve been asked by law enforcement to just send everybody home,” she said.
Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke of El Paso urged residents in El Paso to “stay safe.”
“Truly heartbreaking,” he wrote in a tweet. “Please follow all directions of emergency personnel as we continue to get more updates.”
The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene to assist the El Paso Police Department.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
Phil McCausland and Nicole Acevedo contributed.
