Victim’s sister forgives shooter: A Powerful Moment of Forgiveness
In a heart-wrenching scene, Yolanda Tinajero, the sister of Arturo Benavides, a decorated U.S. Army veteran killed in the 2019 El Paso Walmart shooting, forgave the gunman, Patrick Crusius, in court. Tinajero’s emotional victim impact statement moved the entire courtroom, and her decision to hug Crusius brought everyone to tears.
A Message of Love and Forgiveness
Tinajero expressed her desire to hug Crusius so he could feel her pain and forgiveness. “In my heart, I want to hug you very tight so you could feel my forgiveness, especially my loss,” she said. “But I know it’s not allowed. I want you to see and feel all of us who have been impacted by your actions that have brought us all closer with God’s love, which shows you that this great city of El Paso is a very forgiving place.”
The Hugging Moment
Judge Sam Medrano asked Tinajero if she wanted the opportunity to hug Crusius, and she nodded in agreement. As the two embraced, Tinajero whispered into Crusius’ ear, and he nodded his head in response. For the first time in nearly six years, Crusius showed emotion in the courtroom.
Still on Victim’s sister forgives shooter
Tinajero’s Emotional Statement
“I feel an empty space in my heart, but in this empty space, I still have room for forgiveness for you,” Tinajero said. “At first, I was very angry at you, but God helped me to suppress this anger with forgiveness.” Her daughter, Melissa, explained that her mother’s act of forgiveness was an act of love and compassion, demonstrating that “love is better than hate.”
Community Reaction
The courtroom was filled with emotional victim impact statements, with many describing Crusius as a “monster.” However, forgiveness was a recurring theme, with several survivors and family members of victims choosing to forgive Crusius. Mario Perez Briones, who survived two gunshot wounds, said, “I, Mario Perez, forgive Mr. Patrick and I leave it all in the hands of God.”
Another Act of Forgiveness
Adriana Zandri also hugged Crusius after asking the judge’s permission, while Mariscal Olivia Rodriguez, who was shot during the attack, described the horror she witnessed on that day. Despite the trauma and pain inflicted by Crusius, many in the El Paso community chose to respond with love, forgiveness, and compassion.
The Shooter’s Guilty Plea
Crusius pleaded guilty on April 21 to the charges related to the mass shooting, which killed 23 people and injured many others. He will spend the rest of his life in prison without parole. The shooting was described as one of the deadliest mass shootings and the worst domestic terror attack on Hispanic people in U.S. history.
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