US: El Paso shooting death toll rises to 21

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - A victim who was injured during a mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, last weekend died early Monday while being treated at a local hospital, raising the death toll to 21.

"Sad to report that the number of fatalities increased by one," the El Paso Police Department posted on Twitter.

Federal prosecutors are handling that mass shooting, the first of two Saturday, as a case of domestic terrorism.

The suspect, 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, was taken into custody after 20 people were killed and 26 others were injured.

Just minutes before the tragedy a racist essay was posted to the website, 8chan, titled, “The Inconvenient Truth,” railed against an alleged "Hispanic invasion of Texas,” and assails "race-mixing" while pledging an imminent attack.

“I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion,” it said. "This is just the beginning of the fight for America and Europe. I am honored to head the fight to reclaim my country from destruction."

The Walmart shopping complex is located just minutes from the U.S.-Mexico border, and many of the victims were Latino, including seven Mexican nationals.

El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen said investigators are attributing the writing to Crusius.

Crusius, a resident of Dallas, is being held in police custody.

About 13 hours after the tragedy unfolded another rocked Dayton, Ohio, when a body armor-clad gunman opened fire in a popular nightlife area.

He was quickly killed by police. But in the 30 or so seconds that passed after the individual identified by police as Connor Betts, 24, opened fire, nine people were killed and over two dozen others were injured. Among the deceased was Betts' sister, Megan Betts, 22.

The motive in that shooting remains unclear.