El Paso Mayor Dee Margo said President Trump will visit El Paso on Wednesday following a weekend mass shooting that killed 22 people at a Walmart.
While the White House has not yet announced the trip, The Associated Press reported that the Federal Aviation Administration has advised pilots of a presidential visit that day to El Paso and Dayton, where a second weekend shooting left nine people dead.
“I want to clarify for the political spin that this is the Office of the Mayor of El Paso in an official capacity welcoming the Office of the President of the United States, which I consider is my formal duty,” Mr. Margo said at a press conference late Monday.
The Republican mayor of the largely Latino city that borders Mexico, Mr. Margo has been critical of Mr. Trump’s past anti-immigrant rhetoric.
“Recovery is no small task. Together we will rise out of this tragedy,” he said, adding that he intends to ask Mr. Trump to provide federal resources to recover from the shooting.
Meanwhile, police continued investigating the alleged perpetrator, Patrick Crusius, scrutinizing a racist, anti-immigrant screed the 21-year-old posted online shortly before the attack. He was arrested without incident Saturday after approaching police unarmed as they arrived at the Walmart.
Police have charged Mr. Crusius with capital murder and he is being held without bond, according to court documents.
Police say he has shown no remorse over the shooting while in custody.
In his application for a public defender, which he filed with the El Paso County district clerk’s office Sunday, Mr. Crusius said he has no income, assets or expenses and that he has been living with his grandparents.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• Dan Boylan can be reached at dboylan@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.