Allen mall shooting update: Texas outlet worker died saving shoppers from gunman Mauricio Garcia
Shooting at Texas outlet mall
Investigators in Texas are looking into possible neo-Nazi and white supremacist beliefs of the gunman who killed eight in the mass shooting at a shopping mall in Allen.
Mauricio Garcia, 33, was identified as the shooter who drove to the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday afternoon and opened fire on innocent shoppers with an AR-15-style rifle.
Eight people, including a heroic store associate who saved 12 people by hiding them in a storage room, died in the attack before the gunman was shot dead by a law enforcement officer.
The motive for the attack remains unknown but the gunman was wearing a patch reading “RWDS” – standing for Right Wing Death Squad – as he carried out the rampage.
Police sources told NBC News that Garcia – an Army veteran who worked as a security guard – posted neo-Nazi and white supremacist content online.
As details continue to emerge about the gunman, the victims are starting to be identified.
Christian LaCour, a 20-year-old security guard at the mall, and Aishwarya Thatikonda, an engineer who was shopping at the time, were both identified by family members.
Witness describes horrifying scene
A man who witnessed the horrifying shooting at Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday has opened up about the devastating scene he witnessed as he tried to rescue victims after a gunman opened fire.
Steven Spainhouer, a resident of Allen, Texas, was not at the mall when the shooting unfolded but rushed to the scene after his son, who was working at an H&M store in the outlet, called him.
“I never imagined in 100 years I would be thrust into the position of being the first, first-responder on the site to take care of people,” Mr Spainhouer told CBS News.
Mr Spainhouer described finding victims who had lost body parts and were covered in blood as he attempted to find survivors.
Ariana BaioMay 8, 2023 16:00
Allen Texas mall employee died in mall shooting after risking life to hide customers
A heroic store worker died in a mass shooting at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas, after she risked her own life to hide customers in a bathroom closet, according to a woman who survived the horror attack.
Ariana BaioMay 8, 2023 15:40
Vice President Kamala Harris mourns the victims and speaks about gun violence
Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted on Sunday (7 May) addressing the mass shooting that occurred in Allen, Texas over the weekend.
“Doug and I mourn for the eight adults and children who lost their lives, pray for those wounded, and send our gratitude to the first responders who ran toward danger,” wrote Ms Harris.
“While there’s much we don’t yet know about the attack, here’s what we do know: all Americans deserve to be safe from gun violence. But they’re not. Not because we don’t know the solutions. Not because Americans are divided on the issue – a majority of gun owners support reforms.”
Ariana BaioMay 8, 2023 15:20
Everything we know about the gunman Mauricio Garcia who killed eight in the outlet mall massacre
A gunman clad in black body armor and armed with an AR-15-style assault rifle opened fire at a Texas mall on Saturday, killing eight people and injuring seven others.
The suspect was identified by law enforcement sources as 33-year-old security guard Mauricio Garcia, NBC News reported.
Dashcam video circulating on social media appeared to show the gunman getting out of a gray sedan just outside the entrance of the Allen Premium Outlets, a sprawling center on the outskirts of Dallas, and immediately shooting at passersby in the carpark.
ariana. baioMay 8, 2023 15:00
What we know so far about the victims:
Shoppers and mall workers are among the eight killed in a mass shooting at a mall in Allen, Texas, on Saturday.
The shooting unfolded at around 3.30pm local time at the crowded Dallas-area Allen Premium Outlets mall on Saturday afternoon as families and friends enjoyed their weekends.
Mauricio Garcia, 33, drove to the mall with an AR-15-style rifle and opened fire outside the store.
He was killed by a law enforcement officer who was on the scene and rushed to the gunfire.
Eight people were killed and seven others injured. As of Sunday evening, Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said three wounded people were in critical condition and four were stable.
While the details are yet to emerge about the gunman and what led up to the horror attack, the identities of those killed are coming to light.
Here’s what we know so far about the victims:
Rachel SharpMay 8, 2023 14:40
Hero Texas mall worker died after saving store customers
A heroic mall worker died in a mass shooting on Saturday after risking his own life to hide customers in a store bathroom, according to a woman who survived the horror attack.
Racquel Lee told CBS that she had gone on an impromptu shopping trip to the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas, on Saturday afternoon.
She pulled up outside the H&M store and was shopping inside when the gunman pulled up outside the same store at around 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon and opened fire.
Ms Lee broke down in tears as she recalled the panic as she and her fellow shoppers heard gunshots ringing at the mall.
“It sounds like a war zone,” she said. “It was horrifying and it felt like you were in a dream. Like, just shocked.”
As the shooting unfolded, she said an unidentified store associate saved her and 12 others by hiding them in the storage room of the store bathroom.
The employee left the shoppers in there and left.
Ms Lee said that the group hunkered down in the closet trying to stay silent for fear that the gunman would find them.
They desperately tried to call 911 but had no signal in the closet, she said.
“We were in a bathroom closet, and we were just in the closet trying not to be heard, crying, praying — people were trying to call 911. We couldn’t dial out,” she said.
Sometime later – after the gunman was shot dead – the police found the terrified shoppers hiding in the closet and led them out of the store.
As she walked out of the store, Ms Lee said she walked past the lifeless body of the heroic store worker who had saved all of their lives.
Rachel SharpMay 8, 2023 14:20
‘Mental health didn’t kill these people, it was an automatic rifle with bullets’
A heroic former police officer who rushed to the scene of Saturday’s mass shooting in Allen, Texas, has slammed the politician’s response to the carnage.
“That’s what killed them. I’m a gun lover. I have guns. I’m a former police officer. I’m a former Army officer but these AR-15s, they’ve gotta get out of the streets or these things are going to keep happening…”
Mr Spainhouer also noted that it is time for a change in legislation while criticizing political leaders’ reactions to the shooting.
“All the politicians [issuing statement].” They all offer prayers and condolences. Prayers and condolences won’t bring these people back. We need action in our legislatures,” he said. “Prayers and condolences won’t bring these people back”
Andrea BlancoMay 8, 2023 14:00
Harrowing pictures show shoppers evacuating Allen Premium Outlets following violence
Andrea BlancoMay 8, 2023 13:40
Gunman Mauricio Garcia’s security guard records revealed
Through his work as a security guard, Garcia underwent firearms proficiency training as recently as 2018, according to the Texas Online Private Security database.
The online records show that he began training in 2015 before becoming a commissioned security officer in April 2016.
His license expired in April 2020.
During that time, he is listed as working for three security companies: Ruiz Protective Service, Statewide Patrol and Verified Response Security & Investigations.
It is unclear why his security guard license was suspended.
It is unclear if he had any connection to the mall where he carried out Saturday’s rampage.
Private security guards are vetted and are barred from gaining a license if they have convictions for crimes such as assault or sexual offenses, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Rachel SharpMay 8, 2023 13:20
President Joe Biden pleads with Republicans for gun regulations
President Biden issued a statement on Sunday after a gunman opened fire at a mall in Allen, Texas, killing eight and injuring seven others.
“Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar,” the statement read. “And yet, the American community has suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts. More than 14,000 of our fellow citizens have lost their lives, credible estimates show.”
Andrea BlancoMay 8, 2023 13:00