The alleged gunman of El Paso has been charged with murdering 22 people in the US state of Texas. In the event of a conviction threatens the 21-year-old, the death penalty, as is clear from a statement by the prosecutor. The Texan is accused of opening fire in early August in a Walmart branch in El Paso, Texas on the Mexican border, killing 22 people.
Investigators treat the bloody deed as domestic terrorism. They assume that the gunman wanted to kill Mexicans in his attack. The 21-year-old suspect had finally surrendered to the police after the massacre at the mall, claiming to be the shooter.
Efforts to tighten gun laws have been going nowhere in the US for years - mainly because the Republicans are against it. The powerful NRA weapons lobby organization vehemently opposes any attempt to regulate firearms ownership. US President Donald Trump is also opposed to restricting the right to possess firearms, which is enshrined in the US Constitution.
The opposition Democrats now received support from the business community in their call for a tightening of arms legislation. 145 CEOs called on the US Senate in a letter released Thursday by the New York Times to pass a bill passed by the House of Representatives in February. This should in principle prohibit private sales of weapons where there is no background check by the buyer. Signatories include Airbnb, Uber and Yelp CEOs.
