El Paso blood banks overwhelmed with donors after shooting

Hundreds of donors lined the streets of El Paso outside overwhelmed blood banks on Saturday after a mass shooting left at least 18 dead at a Wal-Mart.

Pictures and video on social media showed dozens of potential donors lined up at various locations Saturday afternoon after the city’s police department made a call for donors on social media which was quickly amplified on Twitter.

Blood needed urgently. Multiple injured transported to various hospitals. Blood donation centers Vitalent Blood Services at 424 s Mesa Hills and 133 N Zaragoza

— EL PASO POLICE DEPT (@EPPOLICE) August 3, 2019

LOOK: This is the line of *HUNDREDS of people outside of Vitalant in West El Paso waiting to donate blood following today’s shooting @KTSMtv pic.twitter.com/xjtONeWX05

— Sandra Ramirez (@sandraKTSM) August 3, 2019

This video I took was from inside the blood bank, there were people lining up outside in 101 degree heat and still more were arriving to help
El Paso takes care of our own, this is the real El Paso pic.twitter.com/t3RVoyKymc

— Vattgh3rn [geeksquadfam] (@Vattgh3rn) August 4, 2019

THIS IS EL PASO!! We are a city of dreamers and we care about the people here. People lining up and dropping whatever they were doing this Saturday to donate blood because the people said they needed blood. I am proud #ElPasoStrong pic.twitter.com/hqBl9ZrVzw

— ҍҽԵհ (@multiahgase) August 3, 2019

Twitter users reported that donation lines at some centers were so long that donors were being told to come back Sunday with an appointment to donate.{mosads}

Went to donate blood at the Zaragoza location and there’s a line out the door. They are telling people they can’t accept any more donors today and to make appointments online to donate tomorrow.

Here is the website: https://t.co/zS7OFKuMt6 https://t.co/jgQ9W0M6UI

— Angelina Martínez (@atmart12) August 3, 2019

I went to go donate blood but the facility didn’t have room for any more cars and the streets were flooded with people trying to get in

Fucking right El Paso

— ;-; (@jacobb_17) August 3, 2019

This is what El Paso is all about. Hundreds of people already lined up in 100 degree weather to donate blood. I love this community so much pic.twitter.com/EByQzR3z4G

— Devon Gray (@DevonGrayCA) August 3, 2019

At least 18 people were killed and more were injured Saturday after a suspect opened fire at a Wal-Mart near the Cielo Vista Mall. The suspect also released a racist and hate-filled manifesto on the website 8chan before the attack.