a national health emergency. >> consciously, deliberately, repeatedly. repeatedly over and over we turned our back on this problem. >>o'donnell: the president s >> o'donnell: the president speaks to the nation. >> hate has no place in our country. >> o'donnell: and, as america grieves again and asks why, we'll have some thoughts about facing our fear. >> this is a special edition of the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell: "terror in america." >> o'donnell: good sunday evening. two great american cities separated by more than 1,300 miles are united tonight in grief. el paso, texas and dayton, ohio, the latest datelines in a seemingly endless epidemic of deadly mass shootings in the united states. and all of america joins them in mourning tonight. the president has ordered flags across the country lowered to half-staff. at least 20 people were killed and 26 injured saturday morning at a wal-mart packed with back- to-school shoppers in el paso. the dead include 25-year-old jordan anchondo and 60-year-old arturo benavides. the suspect remains in custody tonight, and could be charged with a hate crime based on his online postings. and in dayton early this morning, at least nine people were killed and 27 injured before police officers shot the gunman to death, just 30 seconds after the attack began. tonight, cbs news is learning about a hit list he created in high school. we have teams of correspondents in both cities covering this violent weekend, as new questions are raised about what's being called white terrorism. and leading our coverage tonight in dayton, ohio is national correspondent dean reynolds. >> multiple shots fired! multiple shots fired! >> reporter: it was just after 1:00 in the morning when people began to scatter on east fifth street, fleeing another young man with murder on his mind. >> dispatch, we got shots fired. we got multiple people down. >> people started running and that's when i started hearing shots fired. >> reporter: the shooter has been identified as >> reporter: the shooter has been identified as 24-year old connor betts of nearby bellbrook, ohio. that's him on facebook, and him again early today after police ended his rampage. for about 30 seconds, though, fifth street was a killing field, as the shooter, in armored vest and toting an assault-style rifle with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, opened fire on the crowds outside a bar called ned peppers. >> had this individual made it through the doorway of ned peppers with that level of weaponry, there would have been a catastrophic injury and loss of life. >> reporter: as it was, though, nine people were killed, incling the shooter's own 22-year-old sister, megan. all of them, mostly african american, from their mid-20s to age 57, gunned down on the street or sidewalk, examples of the damage an assault weapon can do in seconds. 27 others were wounded or injured. >> the vast majority of the 16 that we treated were gunshot wounds, but then we did have people sustaining lacerations and other blunt trauma in an effort to escape the shooter. >> reporter: brad howard knew betts for 20 years. >> the connor betts that i knew was a nice kid. the connor betts that i talked to, i always got along with well. >> reporter: but sources tell cbs news that while in high school, betts created a hit list, including women who rejected him romantically. others described him as "aggressive" and "unstable." tonight, there will be a vigil along fifth street as dayton mourns. norah. >> o'donnell: all right, dean reynolds, thank you. the wal-mart in el paso is just five miles from the border, making it a popular shopping destination for mexicans. federal and local authorities are investigating the attack there as an act of domestic terrorism, and a possible hate crime. the suspect is from outside dallas, but is accused of targeting el paso-- which is about a ten-hour drive away-- and a city that is more than 80% hispanic, bordering mexico. david begnaud reports authorities are combing through an online manifesto the suspect may have posted. >> reporter: authorities here in el paso wasted no time charging the alleged gunman 21-year-old patrick crusius with capital murder. >> we will seek the death penalty. the lost of life is so great, we have certainly never seen this in our community. >> reporter: officials tell us that crusius can be seen in surveillance photos entering the wal-mart near the mexican border and taking aim at shoppers. ( gunfire ) survivors took shelter under tables. others ran for their lives. >> ( bleep ) gunshots in wal-mart. somebody got shot. >> reporter: alden hall was inside the store when the gunman started shooting and he recorded this video and is still shocked. >> i remember him smirking as he raised the gun towards me. >> reporter: yesterday's rampage is also being investigated by federal authorities. u.s. attorney john dash: >> we are going to do what we do to terrorists in this country, which is deliver swift and certain justice. >> reporter: police say that crusius is cooperating, but they wouldn't say more than that. minutes before the shooting, police say crusius allegedly uploaded an anti-immigrant manifesto on the website 8chan. a federal law enforcement source confirms to cbs news, the manifesto is playing a big role in their investigation. >> the attack, from what we know in the public record, certainly appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population. >> reporter: tonight, local police and f.b.i. investigators are still on the scene inside the bodies of the victims have all been removed from here. el paso police chief greg allen. >> you used the term horrific to describe the scene. >> i but there is. >> when i first got into this job, i did not know that there was an odor to blood. but there is. for a normal individual that doesn't have to deal with that on a day-to-day basis, it will leave an impression that you will never forget. >> reporter: the president of mexico says six mexicans were killed. seven others injured. law enforcement tells cbs news e gunman who did surrender told police he was motivated to do what he did because of his objection to hispanics. >> o'donnell: david begnaud with the chilling details. thank you. tonight at least three of the survivors in el paso remain in critical condition. she's at university medical center of el paso. janet shamlian is there, with an emotional bedside interview with a survivor. >> reporter: the first victims were outside the wal-mart. a girls' soccer team fundraising with their parents and coaches. marabel latin was shot twice, and then played dead. >> he shot at us, like, individually, trying to get us individually. and then he came walking towards us to make sure we all got shot again, to get killed. >> reporter: amid the chaos, the ten-year-olds ran into the store where bakery workers sheltered them. outside, several parents and coaches were bleeding on the pavement. >> the girls were crying, they were asking about their dads, they were asking about their moms. i knew where their dads were, but i couldn't tell them. >> reporter: among those who lost their lives inside the store, 25-year-old jordan anchondo. her sister says jordan collapsed on top of her 2-year-old baby after being shot-- a fateful fall that may have saved the boy's life. jordan's husband andre is among the missing. 60-year-old arturo benavides was also shopping, his family says. the army veteran was with his wife nina, who survived. 26 of the injured are still in the hospital, like marabel, counting the hours until she's reunited with maylene. what's it going to be like to see your daughter? >> i don't know. she's being strong for me and she seemed normal, but i know the moment i see her, she's going to break down. >> reporter: a brave mom, who's main concern now isn't her own injuries but the trauma experienced by her daughter and the other young girls. tonight, youth soccer teams from across the country are reaching out to this team, offering to help fund-raise for them, since their own effort was interrupted. norah. >> o'donnell: strong community outreach. janet shamlian, thank you. president trump today calling the shooters mentally ill and promising new action to stop the shootings. but nikole killian tells us, some democratic presidential candidates are pointing the finger at the president. >> i want to extend our condolences. >> reporter: as he returned to the white house, president trump expressed his solidarity with el paso and dayton, condemning what he called senseless attacks. >> i just want to say, these are two incredible places. we love the people. hate has no place in our country. >> reporter: but many of his 2020 rivals laid the blame squarely at the president's feet, even labeling him a white nationalist. >> the president not only tolerates but invites the kind of racism and hatred that, that not only offends us, but-- but changes who we are as a country. >> he's spoken about immigrants as being invaders. he's given license for this toxic brew of white supremacy. >> reporter: the president's acting chief of staff argued no policy is to blame, while the president argued there are other factors. >> this is a mental illness problem. >> reporter: with lawmakers out on august recess, some are demanding that congress return immediately to take up gun legislation. >> show the country for gosh sakes that-- that the-- that the people representing them in washington don't always kowtow to the gun lobby. >> reporter: the president said he's spoken to members of congress as well as the attorney general about what can be done and plans to make another statement about the shootings monday. norah. >> o'donnell: all right, nikole killion, thank you. tonight, there are new calls to stand against what's being called white terrorism. fran townsend was homeland security adviser to president george w. bush. she is now senior national security analyst for cbs news. fran, let's talk about what happened today. federal authorities have said the el paso shooting could be handled as a case of domestic terrorism. why is that classification important? >> well, under the patriot act section 802 they are allowed to do that. they've done it before. the tree of life shooting and the paway shooting. it gives federal prosecutors the ability to charge along with state prosecutors to determine what's the best and most effective way to make sure this person is convicted. >> o'donnell: and fran, the el paso shooter allegedly posted his manifesto to 8chan, that's the online message board. so what can federal authorities do about the spread of what's being called violent white nationalist messages online? >> reporter: norah, this is the fourth time a white nationalist terrorist has posted. powway, pittsburgh and christchurch shooters also posted there. normally this would be a violation of terms of service, and you would expect the social media provider to take it down themselves. 8chan doesn't monitor, and frankly if i was a federal prosecutor, i would be looking at federal charges for material support to terrorism against 8chan. they're on notice. they know they're being used in this way, and seem to be doing nothing to stop it. the other route is to ask the american internet service provider not to host this site any longer. i would pursue both routes. >> o'donnell: that conversation will continue. thank you, fran townsend. in the past week, assault-style rifles have been used in california, texas and ohio. kris van cleave looks at how weapons originally designed for the battlefield remain on america's streets. >> reporter: assault style rifles are typically legal to buy, and can be equipped to carry 30 rounds or more, that can be fired in seconds. in texas, they can generally be carried openly. >> these shooters want to appear to be omnipotent and powerful and very deadly. >> reporter: mary ellen o'tool is a former f.b.i. agent and profiler. why is it that, time and again in these mass shootings, the suspect has gone out and used the assault-style rifle? >> three reasons-- kills as many people as possible, do it in a short period of time, and look as frightening and ominous as one possibly can. >> reporter: the rifle used in the gilroy shooting was banned in california, but could be legally purchased in neighboring nevada, underscoring the patchwork nature of u.s. gun laws. while california has placed restrictions on these types of rifles, manufacturers modified the designs. older molds can be purchased second hand. >> if anyone wants to buy one, they can pretty much go into any flea market or gun show and buy something in the parking lot, if they're so inclined. >> reporter: u.s. banned assault style weapon purchase for ten years beginning 2004. this year, senator diane feinstein proposed a similar ban that stalled in the senate. some estimates put the number of assault-style rifles currently in circulation in the u.s. at 15 million to 20 million. today the los angeles county sheriff called for the halt of manufacture and sale of many of them. >> o'donnell: kris van cleave, thank you. and there is still much more ahead on a special edition of the "cbs evening news." what doctors are doing to stop what doctors are doing to stop gun violence. and the mural in el paso painted by a father all too familiar by a father all too familiar with gun violence. ur wife to meet you at the doctor. because you didn't have another dvt. not today. we discussed how having one blood clot puts you at risk of having another,... ...so we chose xarelto®, to help keep you protected. xarelto®, is proven to treat and reduce the risk of dvt or pe blood clots from happening again. in clinical trials, almost 98% of people did not have another dvt or pe. don't stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase your risk of blood clots. while taking, a spinal injection increases the risk of blood clots, which may cause paralysis- the inability to move. you may bruise more easily or take longer for bleeding to stop. xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. it may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. get help right away for unexpected bleeding or unusual bruising. do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. before starting, tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures and any kidney or liver problems. enjoy every moment and help protect yourself from an unexpected one, like another dvt or pe. are you doing enough? 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(vo) cascade platinum. >> o'donnell: a father who lost his son in the parkland massacre has turned his grief into a singular mission. joaquin oliver uses the power of his art to advocate gun control. he just happened to be in el paso this weekend. here's jonathan vigliotti. >> reporter: a grieving father on a mission. >> so this is the beginning of what will be a full-sized mural covering this whole wall. >> yeah, the whole point was to celebrate joaquin's birthday. >> reporter: joaquin oliver would have been 19 today. he was one of 17 students killed last year in the parkland school shooting. his father manny, an artist, has been painting murals in his honor ever since. el paso just happened to be his next stop. >> i got the news on my phone. everybody tweeted because they knew i was in el paso, and i said, oh, okay, happened again. i think it was meant to be for us to be here. >> reporter: to be here to remind people of the real lives lost in every mass shooting. >> my role, number one here as a father, is to let everybody know about joaquin, to let people know who joaquin oliver is. not was. is. >> reporter: this is your son. >> yeah. >> reporter: what do you see when you look at this? >> i see an activist. not a victim. >> reporter: the face of yet another person gunned down in america, as a father fights to keep his memory alive. jonathen vigliotti, cbs news, el paso. >> o'donnell: and we'll have some final thoughts about this tragic weekend in a moment. your head wants to do one thing, but your gut says, "not today." if your current treatment isn't working, ask your doctor about entyvio. entyvio acts specifically in the gi tract to prevent an excess of white blood cells from entering and causing damaging inflammation. entyvio has helped many patients achieve long-term relief and remission. infusion and serious allergic reactions can happen during or after treatment. entyvio may increase risk of infection, which can be serious. pml, a rare, serious, potentially fatal brain infection caused by a virus may be possible. tell your doctor if you have an infection, experience frequent infections or have flu-like symptoms or sores. liver problems can occur with entyvio. ask your doctor about the only gi-focused biologic just for ulcerative colitis and crohn's. entyvio. relief and remission within reach. our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy! whoo-hoo! great-tasting ensure. with nine grams of protein and twenty-six vitamins and minerals. ensure, for strength and energy. and twenty-six vitamins and minerals. let's see, aleve is than tylenol extra strength. and last longer with fewer pills. so why am i still thinking about this? i'll take aleve. aleve. proven better on pain. age-related macular man: i'vdegeneration,sed with which could lead to vision loss. so today i made a plan with my doctor, which includes preservision. because it's my vision, my love of the game, my open road, my little artist. vo: only preservision areds 2 contains the exact nutrient formula recommended by the national eye institute to help reduce the risk of moderate to advanced amd progression. man: because it's my sunset, it's how i see my life. it's my vision. preservision. those darn seatbelts got me all crumpled up. that's ok! hey, guys! hi mrs. patterson... wrinkles send the wrong message. sorry. help prevent them before they start with new downy wrinkleguard. but super poligrip gives him a tight seal. snacking can mean that pieces get stuck under mike's denture. to help block out food particles. so he can enjoy the game. super poligrip. >> o'donnell: all over america today, people prayed for the neighbors we lost in el paso and in dayton, and for the families they left behind. ( singing ) we prayed in churches and in private, each in his or her own way, and wondered again-- what more can we do? after decades, now, of mass shootings, we haven't found the answer. and then, today, most americans went on with their lives, spending a summer sunday with their families, appreciating them that much more. and perhaps living life to the fullest, in the most positive way we can, is the best way to honor those we lost, and the best message we can send to those who would have us live in terror. we will be vigilant, do everything possible to prevent these tragedies and protect our loved ones, but we will not live in fear. that would be admitting defeat. among the four freedoms laid out by franklin d. roosevelt is "freedom from fear." he called it an "essential human right." ( singing ) and it is one we cannot afford to surrender. ( singing ) and that is this special edition of the "cbs evening news." thank you for watching. i will be reporting from el paso, texas, for morning cbs this morning and for the "cbs evening news." i'm norah o'donnell. good night. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org now at 6:00, a difficult reminder of the garlic festival coming up i tell you with today's drill. >> scary moments at the oakland airport. evidence of a small plane making a landing. we begin with three mass shootings in seven days. a total of 32 people, the first in the bay area, the garlic festival last sunday, the second yesterday at el paso texas walmart, now the third come early this morning and a popular nightclub district in dayton ohio. happening right now, one of the victims of the gilroy shooting is being remembered in a public ceremony. she would return 14 years old today. today her friends and family gathered to celebrate her life. they join us from the park for more. >> reporter: this is a celebration of her life. they're not going to mourn her, they will celebrate her remarkable life, a noteworthy artist who just finished eighth grade and was on her way to high school, you can see there's a big crowd at the park. a lot of family and friends but some strangers. people did not know her but were touched by her story. she was at the gilroy garlic festival just last week. a week ago today with family, she stayed behind help a family member making her way the came. she got stuck be