A Texas man was sentenced Wednesday to 37 years in prison, with credit for time served in state custody, following his guilty plea to hate crime charges arising out of a fatal shooting at a car repair shop.
According to the Department of Justice, on Sept. 14, 2023, Anthony Paz Torres, 39, pleaded guilty to five federal hate crime counts for killing one individual and attempting to kill four others during a mass shooting at Omar’s Wheels and Tires in Dallas on Dec. 24, 2015.
Torres also pleaded guilty to one count of using a firearm to commit the murder.
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“As this sentence makes clear, hate crimes fueled by Islamophobia, or by bias of any kind, will be met with the full force of the Justice Department,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No person in this country should have to live in fear because of who they are, what they look like, or how they pray.”
“The defendant attempted to commit a mass shooting and intentionally targeted victims at a Muslim-owned business,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This case is an abhorrent example of how deadly Islamophobia can be in our own country and the severe consequences that wait for anyone who commits acts of hateful violence. The FBI places civil rights investigations as one of our highest priorities because everyone deserves to practice their religion without fear.”
“No person in the United States should fear that they will be the target of violence because of their religion,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The sentence handed down today ensures that Torres will be held accountable for the hate-fueled, Islamophobic violence he inflicted on the victims in this case. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute such hate crimes.”
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“North Texans come from a variety of religious traditions and backgrounds, and no one should have to live in fear because of the way they worship,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. “This case demonstrates the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s dedication to protecting members of our north Texas community from acts of violence fueled by hatred toward any religious group. Let the message be clear: if you commit such acts, we will seek to prosecute you and send you to prison for as long as possible.”
According to court documents, Torres admitted that a few days prior to the shooting, he went to Omar’s Wheels and Tires, made anti-Muslim comments, and pledged that he would come back.
When he returned to the business on Dec. 24, 2015, Torres asked customers if they were Muslim.
After being escorted back to his vehicle by Omar’s Wheels and Tires employees, Torres discharged his firearm in the direction of multiple employees and customers.
Torres admitted that he killed one person and attempted to kill four other people at Omar’s Wheels and Tires because he believed that they were Muslim.
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