Guillermo ‘Memo’ Garcia Dead, El Paso Walmart Shooting Victim Was Last Remaining Casualty Alive

Guillermo “Memo” Garcia has died. Garcia was the last victim of the El Paso, Texas Walmart shooting still alive, having been hospitalized for nearly nine months.

Garcia, 36, died Sunday evening, according to Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso. He had been in the hospital’s care since August 3, when a gunman opened fire on shoppers in and outside of the Walmart.

“After a nearly nine-month fight, our hearts are heavy as we report Guillermo ‘Memo’ Garcia, our last remaining patient being treated from the El Paso shooting, has passed away. His courage, his strength and his story have touched so many lives, including those of our caregivers, who tirelessly fought with him and for him every step of the way,” hospital CEO David Shimp said in a statement, per The New York Times.

The day of the shooting, Garcia was outside the Walmart helping conduct a fundraiser for the El Paso Fusion girls’ soccer team he coached, The El Paso Times reported. He suffered gunshot wounds to his leg and back and remained in intensive care for weeks, according to The New York Times. Altogether, he underwent more than 50 operations.

In total, seven people affiliated with the soccer team were shot. None of the 10 girls on the team were injured.

We are saddened today to hear the news of Coach Guillermo "Memo" Garcia also know to the community as “Tank” who was called up to heaven late last night. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and ? prayers through this difficult time. May he Rest In Peace ?? pic.twitter.com/HqApMaRafs

— El Paso Parks and Recreation (@EPTXParksRec) April 26, 2020

Garcia’s wife, Jessica, often dropped the couple’s two children off at school before driving to the hospital to check on her husband’s progress, she told The New York Times. She recounted one hopeful day in late August when he breathed on his own and asked for some water. However, she said the eight and a half months were “harsh to say the least.”

With Garcia’s passing, the shooting’s death toll is now up to 23. Another 26 were injured.

The day of the incident, police first responded to reports of a shooting at Cielo Vista Mall, but were soon rerouted to a nearby Walmart, according to previous reports by The Inquisitr. Witnesses said the shooter, later identified as 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, began shooting an AK-47 style rifle in the store’s parking lot before moving inside.

Crusius was taken into custody alive. He faces more than 90 federal charges, including hate crimes. Originally from Dallas, Crusius had driven more than eight hours to carry out the shooting. A manifesto reported to be written by him was found online containing descriptions of what he perceived to be the “Hispanic invasion” of Texas.

The shooting remains the deadliest Latino-targeted attack in modern American history, according to The New York Times.