Mexicans sue Walmart over Texas shooting that left victims on both sides
of border
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[November 21, 2019]
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Ten Mexican
citizens have sued Walmart over the shooting at a store in the U.S.
border town of El Paso, Texas, that killed eight Mexicans and left eight
more injured, saying that Walmart did not do enough to protect its
customers, Mexico said on Wednesday.
The suspected gunman told police he was targeting "Mexicans" in the
August shooting, which killed 22 people in total.
Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the lawsuit, which
was filed in Texas state court in El Paso County, aimed to hold the
retailer accountable "for not taking reasonable and necessary measures
to protect its customers."
"Through this lawsuit, the petitioners seek justice not only for
themselves, but also security for the general public," the Mexican
ministry said in a statement.
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A spokesman for Walmart said the company had yet to see a copy of the
complaint and would respond appropriately in court.
“We will never forget this tragic event, and our condolences continue to
go out to the everyone who was affected," the company said in a
statement. "Safety is a top priority and we care deeply about our
associates and customers."
The suit is being handled by the Law Office of Lynn Coyle, an El
Paso-based firm, in coordination with the Mexican consulate general in
the city. Lawyers at the firm did not immediately respond to a request
for comment.
It was not clear from the ministry's statement what relation the Mexican
plaintiffs have to the attack, though the ministry noted that Coyle
works with victims of the shooting.
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![](../images/112119pics/news_J19.jpg)
A man puts flowers inside a hearse of one of the victims of a mass
shooting at a Walmart store during a tribute in El Paso, Texas,
U.S., August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez
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The ministry's statement did not detail on what grounds the
plaintiffs seek to hold Walmart responsible for the attack.
The carnage in El Paso, followed just 13 hours later by a mass
shooting in Ohio, sparked a political outcry, with El Paso native
and former Democratic Party presidential contender Beto O’Rourke
demanding the mandatory confiscation of the assault-style rifles
often used in mass shootings.
The Mexican government also condemned the shooting, describing it as
an act of terrorism against Mexicans.
"The government of Mexico will continue to use all the resources at
its disposal to prevent such incidents from recurring and repair the
damages suffered by the victims," the Foreign Ministry said on
Thursday.
(Reporting by Julia Love; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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