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Long Line Forms At Texas Capitol To Donate Blood Following El Paso Shooting

Carissa Suarez and Dusana Schnell
Gabriel C. Pérez
/
KUT
Carissa Suarez and Dusana Schnell (center) stand in line outside the Capitol to give blood during a blood drive following the mass shooting in El Paso.

Dozens and dozens of people waited for hours at the Texas Capitol building to give blood during a donation drive Monday. The We Are Blood event was inspired by the need for blood in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, even though the blood donated here will stay in this area.

The Central Texas blood bank said it stands ready to "help neighbors across Texas – and the country – if needed."

The surge in blood donations in Austin came the day after hundreds lined up in El Paso to donate blood following the deadly shooting there Saturday. The El Paso Police Department put out an urgent request for blood donations after 26 people were wounded.

As of Monday afternoon, 22 people died from the mass shooting.

Phillip Lybrand with We Are Blood told KUT's Joseph Leahy the response has been incredible. He said appointments filled up completely within a few hours of making them available.

"This morning we had such a large turn-out from walk-ins that we had to bring in a second bus to accommodate everybody," Lybrand said.

We Are Blood has three donation locations around Austin. You can visit WeAreBlood.org to make an appointment

Andy Jechow is the audience engagement editor for KUT News. Got a tip? Email him at andy@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter at @AndyJechow.
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