DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – A federal grand jury returned an indictment this week charging a Texas man with federal hate crimes resulting in the death of one person and including an attempt to kill four others during a shooting at Omar’s Wheels and Tires, according to U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Wednesday that the defendant is also charged with using a firearm to commit the murder.
The indictment alleges that 37-year-old Anthony Paz Torres went to Omar’s Wheels and Tires on Christmas Eve 2015, and shot at employees and customers at the business. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Torres had gone to the business a few days earlier, but was told by law enforcement officers to not return. When he returned on Christmas Eve, Torres allegedly shot and killed one individual and attempted to kill three other individuals with his firearm. As he was leaving, Torres allegedly attempted to kill a fourth individual with his motor vehicle.
The indictment further alleges that Torres committed the alleged crimes because of the actual or perceived religion of another person. Torres faces a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment on the death-resulting hate crime and gun charge counts.
The indictment comes as law enforcement across the metroplex launch anti-hate campaigns and ramp up messaging surrounding the frequency of hate crimes.
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