Anthony Paz Torres, aged 39, was sentenced today to 37 years in prison, with credit for time served, after pleading guilty to hate crime charges stemming from a fatal shooting at a car repair shop.
Torres admitted to five federal hate crime counts for the shooting at Omar’s Wheels and Tires on December 24, 2015. One individual was killed, and four others were targeted in the attack. Additionally, Torres pleaded guilty to one count of using a firearm to commit murder.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the severity of hate crimes, stating, "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.”
U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton emphasized the importance of protecting all religious groups from violence, stating, "No one should have to live in fear because of the way they worship."
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.
The FBI Dallas Field Office led the investigation, with support from the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Criminal District Attorney’s Office.
