Five years ago this month, 23 people were killed and 22 others were injured after a mass shooting in El Paso on Aug. 3, 2019.
University Medical Center of El Paso (UMC) joined the El Paso community in honoring the 23 lives who were lost as a result of the shooting at the Cielo Vista Walmart.
The memory of that day weighs heavy on the minds of the staff, as many of the victims from the shooting were sent to UMC’s Scherr Legate Trauma Center for treatment.
“Aug. 3, 2019, left a mark on all of us here at UMC,” said Jacob Cintron, president & CEO, El
Paso County Hospital District (EPCHD). “As trauma patients came in, one after another, our team rushed in to help in any way they could. Our lives were forever changed that day. We will always remember.”
Every year since, EPCHD has commemorated the victims of the Aug. 3 tragedy, and this year UMC will have a moment of silence on Aug. 3 and present a new memorial video.
Additionally, UMC staff will be provided special orange remembrance wristbands in honor of the victims and continuing to build solidarity around being ‘El Paso Strong’, and used orange exterior flood lights to commemorate the occasion. The color orange is used by gun violence prevention advocates.
- In 2023, a moment of silence was held throughout the hospital in memory of the 23 victims.
- In 2022, a memorial pavilion was unveiled outside the hospital to create a space for Associates and patients to reflect at the hospital.
- In 2021, Associates gathered outside the hospital to release a balloon for every person who had died from the shooting.
- In 2020, their memory was commemorated with a dedication video.
“As we have for the past few years, UMC will once again honor the lives of those lost, as well as the resilience of their families and our community as a whole. We are proud to be El Paso Strong,” according to the statement.
