Latino organizations in Nebraska form alliance after Crete shooting

CRETE, Neb. (KLKN) — Latino organizations are coming together to support the victims of last month’s mass shooting in Crete.

The Nebraska chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens formed the Latino Alliance to address the shooting and other issues facing Latinos in the state. 

“The Latino Alliance is really uniting local organizations to help this family, and we have also started to organize donations for the family,” said Juan Carlos Garcia, LULAC of Nebraska’s chief of staff.

SEE ALSO: All seven victims of Crete shooting released from hospital

On June 28, the Nebraska State Patrol says 74-year-old Billy Booth shot at his neighbors from inside his house.

Seven people were wounded.

The victims were Hispanic, and authorities said Booth previously told them to “speak English” and “go back where you came from.”

The patrol said it is investigating the shooting to determine if it was a hate crime. 

“We don’t know the final results of the investigation; we understand that,” Garcia said. “But if you check, what is it that makes it a hate crime? This check all of those boxes.”

SEE ALSO: ‘One of us was affected’: Crete soccer team raises donations for shooting victims

Garcia said the entire Latino community in Crete is afraid. 

“Every Latino in the community knows what this really was, right?” he said. “It’s not just the one-off incident.”

The newly formed group is made up of LULAC, social workers from Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim, a former police officer, religious leaders and other organizations.

Garcia said the Latino Alliance will work endlessly to prevent something like from happening again in Nebraska.

He said the alliance is also looking at ways to address other issues in the state, like labor and immigration.

SEE ALSO: Picking up the pieces: Crete neighborhood sticking together through turmoil