03/19/20
FIRST ON CBS7: Suspect admits he tried to kill family at Midland Sam's Club.
MIDLAND, Tx. (KOSA) -- The 19-year-old who investigators say stabbed and cut four people at the Midland Sam's Club Saturday told police he was attempting to kill a family shopping in the store, according to an arrest affidavit.
Jose Gomez, 19. (Mugshot: Midland County Jail)
The family is Asian and according to Midland Mayor Patrick Payton, the FBI is also now helping with the investigation. That sometimes indicates that an incident is being investigated as a hate crime, although that hasn't been confirmed in this case.
Pictures posted on Facebook show that the father and his son were cut very badly across their faces. The son, who is very young, has a cut reaching from behind his ear all the way across to his eye.
Police say Jose Gomez also stabbed a Sam's employee in the leg when he tried to stop Gomez. His hand was also cut up as he tried to get the knife away from Gomez, according to the affidavit.
The worker and an off-duty Border Patrol Agent were able to get the knife out of Gomez's hand and hold him until Midland Police arrived.
Gomez is charged with three counts of attempted capital murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The Sam's Club was closed on Monday 3/16 but will reopen Tuesday 3/17.
more:
Racist Attacks Against Asians Continue to Rise as the Coronavirus Threat Grows
https://people.com/health/coronaviru...gainst-asians/
Countries worldwide are reporting an uptick in assaults against citizens of Asian descent