The reopening of the El Paso Walmart where 22 people were killed in an August mass shooting has been pushed back. The renovated store will now open its doors on Nov. 14, about a week later than originally planned.
“This will not be a celebratory atmosphere or environment,” said Todd Peterson, vice president of Walmart and regional general manager. He said at 9 a.m. that Monday, “we’ll just simply open the doors.”
Peterson shared the updated timeline at an El Paso City Council meeting Tuesday. He also unveiled the design for a permanent memorial to victims of the attack, which will be located on the south side of the store’s parking lot.
The design includes an outdoor plaza, surrounded by decorative fencing and plants.
“The focal point...will be a grand candela,” Peterson said. “Twenty-two individual perforated aluminum arcs, grouped together into one, single 30-foot candela, symbolizing unity and emanating light into the sky.”
The structure will be installed in the coming weeks. Survivors of the shooting, victims’ family members and Walmart employees will be able to view the memorial privately.
The Cielo Vista Walmart has remained closed since Aug. 3, when a white gunman allegedly drove ten hours from a Dallas suburb to carry out the attack. Police say he was targeting Mexicans.
Community members continue to visit a makeshift memorial near the store — lined with candles, flowers, stuffed animals and other items.
Several survivors of the mass shooting and family members of victims are suing Walmart, claiming the store lacked proper security.
