Former El Paso mayor remembers Walmart shooting on fifth anniversary

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Aug. 3 mass shooting at the Cielo Vista Walmart rocked the El Paso community. In the face of tragedy, some in our community were forced to rise up and lead the community through the darkest days.

Former El Paso Mayor Dee Margo took on that task.

Margo told ABC-7 that he was in Austin when the shooting took place. His phone was flooded with texts and phone calls. He rushed to get back home to El Paso.

“So I got on the plane, and for an hour and a half, nothing. All I could do was look out the window and pray.”

Margo arrived in El Paso later that day and was briefed on the shooting as the death toll continued to climb.

In the days and weeks after the shooting, Dee and First Lady Adair were near those who were hurting.

“Adair and I went to every visitation and funeral."

The shooting ultimately marked Margo's mayoral term.

"I had no experience for this. You know? I've said before, all I can do is pray. That’s what I did on the airplane coming over here. I was here and at every event. If I hadn’t had a spiritual foundation, I'm not sure. I might have cratered? It was tough. It's tough for those families. It’s still tough," he said.

Last July, the Walmart shooter was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences. Margo was inside for that moment. He said there's only one way El Paso will get complete healing.

"Until we can have the state trial with the death penalty as a consequence, I don't think it will be over. I still get texts from some of the family members of those who lost loved ones. I hear about how they're doing. It’s personal to me. This is very personal, and I hurt for our people. And I want to get this thing resolved," Margo explained.

Margo keeps a scrapbook filled with dozens of cards and letters sent to him from people worldwide as they shared their condolences. He said it was a constant reminder of how the world came together for El Paso.

"It was a special time. It is special for remembrances, not for what happened.”