Leaders from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border will gather in El Paso Wednesday night to memorialize the 22 people killed this month when a gunman opened fire at a Walmart in the Texas border city.
The mayors of El Paso and the neighboring Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez will speak, along with religious leaders, at a 7 p.m. memorial service, according to a city spokesman.
"We're going to be paying tribute and remembering the victims," said El Paso spokesman Rick Isaias. "We're letting people know that we are El Paso strong and the city will continue and get through this."
The ceremony at Southwest University Park will officially commemorate those killed in the largely Latino city by a gunman who police say confessed to driving from the Dallas area to target Mexicans. Most of the dead had Hispanic last names and eight were Mexican nationals. Nearly two dozen others were injured.
Watch the memorial via the City of El Paso Facebook page.
The victims' loved ones have been marking their passing with vigils and funerals in the U.S. and Mexico since the August 3 massacre.
Isaias said Wednesday morning that plans for the service were still taking shape and officials do not know how many people will attend. The city is, however, making plans for a big turnout. The ceremony at the baseball park will be broadcast live to four other locations in El Paso.
Authorities said Wednesday they have finished processing the scene at a Walmart for evidence. El Paso police said they are returning control of the property to Walmart.
Walmart spokeswoman LeMia Jenkins said the store remains a "secure location with controlled access." She said a fence will remain around the store's perimeter and that Walmart is using contracted security guards to prevent trespassing. The company did not say when the store would reopen.
The city opened a center to help people with everything from counseling and financial assistance to figuring out how to get vehicles back after the Aug. 3 shooting.
Police say 21-year-old Patrick Crusius was targeting Mexicans when he carried out the shooting. He is charged with capital murder.
