Mum of shooter made call to police before Walmart massacre

Patrick Crusius is accused of opening fire in an El Paso, Texas, shopping area packed with people during the busy back-to-school season and killing 22 people. Photo / AP

A lawyer for the family of the man charged in the El Paso Walmart shooting rampage says the man's mother contacted police weeks before the rampage out of concern that her son had a rifle.

Dallas lawyer Chris Ayres confirmed that the call was made to police in Allen, a Dallas suburb.

He declined to give details, but he and fellow lawyer R. Jack Ayres told CNN that Patrick Crusius' mother contacted the Allen Police Department to ask about an "AK" type firearm Crusius owned.

A photo of Patrick Crusius taken from the Plano Senior High School website. Photo / Supplied

During the call, she was transferred to a public safety officer who told her that her son, 21, was legally allowed to purchase the weapon, according to CNN.

Police did not seek any additional information from her before the call concluded, the lawyers claimed.

Sgt. Jon Felty, Allen police spokesman, said there was no record of such a call and he wasn't aware of such a call.

Allen is a Dallas suburb about 933 kilometres east of El Paso.

Crusius' court-appointed lawyer says he will do everything he can to ensure his client is not executed.

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas John Bash said they would seek the death penalty in the mass shooting at Walmart in El Paso, Texas. Photo / AP

Crusius has been charged with capital murder in state court for the Saturday massacre, and may face federal hate-crime charges that could also come with a death sentence if he's convicted.

Lawyer Mark Stevens said that he "will use every legal tool available to me to prevent" Crusius from being put to death.

Stevens, a veteran criminal defence lawyer from San Antonio, said he will only represent Crusius in state court and declined to comment further on the case. A judge appointed him on Monday.

Crusius is accused of killing 22 people on Saturday in El Paso.

NONE OF THE TREATED VICTIMS WANTED TO SEE TRUMP

It comes as the Washington Post reported that none of the eight El Paso victims still being treated in hospital consented to a vist by President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania.

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the Trumps met with "victims of the tragedy while at the hospital."

Samantha Salazar, left, and Sarah Estrada join mourners gathered at Ponder Park in El Paso, Texas for a community vigil after the mass shooting at Walmart the day before. Photo / AP

However, the Post reports that they met with two victims who had already been discharged and returned to the University Medical Centre with their families to meet with the president.

While the eight victims did not meet with the Trumps, they did allow visits from other Democratic officials, including Texas Representative Veronica Escobar and Illinois Representative Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia.

Ryan Mielke, spokesperson for the University Medical Centre in El Paso said that the patients were under no obligation to meet the president. "This is a very sensitive time in their lives," Mielke said.

"Some of them said they didn't want to meet with the president. Some of them didn't want any visitors."