Juan de Dios Velázquez, a 77-year-old man of Mexican ethnicity, tragically lost his life on August 3, 2019, during the El Paso Walmart mass shooting. Velázquez and his wife, Nicolasa, had recently moved to El Paso to enjoy their retirement in what they believed was a safe city. They were devoted grandparents to their 14 grandchildren and had lived a quiet, normal life.
On the day of the shooting, Velázquez and his wife had just pulled into the Walmart parking lot to make a quick
return before meeting their granddaughter for lunch when they heard what Nicolasa described as a bomb. The couple was then shot by the gunman, identified as Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white supremacist. Velázquez took a bullet to the back while trying to shield his wife, Nicolasa, from the gunfire. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Velázquez succumbed to his injuries on August 5, 2019.
The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of 22 people and injured 25 others. Patrick Crusius was arrested and charged with capital murder, and the case was treated as an act of domestic terrorism. Crusius admitted to the shootings and stated that he wanted to shoot as many Mexicans as possible. The El Paso community, along with many others, mourned the loss of Velázquez and the other victims, and called for unity and resilience in the face of such senseless violence.
Velázquez's last words to his family were, "We have come to El Paso to live our last years, fleeing from threats, and this is where we’ve been wounded." His family remembered him as a hard worker and someone who always respected his community and the law. They hoped that the tragedy would strengthen the community and promote forgiveness and resilience.
