The El Paso Walmart where 22 people were killed will reopen, with a permanent memorial in the works
Three months after an assailant gunned down 22 people at an El Paso Walmart, shattering a tight-knit community, the store will reopen with plans for a memorial honoring the victims.
The Cielo Vista Walmart will open at 9 a.m. November 14, the company said Tuesday.
And in the following weeks, a grand candela will anchor a plaza built on the south side of the store’s parking lot.
The memorial will feature 22 perforated aluminum arcs grouped into a single 30-foot monument “symbolizing unity and emanating light into the sky,” Walmart said Tuesday.
It’s expected to be completed in late November or early December, Walmart Senior Director of Communications Delia Garcia said.
“As the store resumes retail operations, we remain focused on honoring the victims and survivors,” said Todd Peterson, Walmart vice president and regional general manager.
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After the August 3 massacre, construction crews have been working to renovate the store, “basically rebuilding it,” Walmart spokesman said Randy Hargrove said in August.
“Our goal is to establish a memorial that honors the victims, recognizes the binational relationship between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, and celebrates the strength of the El Paso community,” Hargrove said.
During the renovation, more than 90% of the store’s hundreds of employees were assigned to temporary jobs across the city.