Many Killed As Gunman Opens Fire At Shopping Mall
Eight people were killed and seven wounded by a gunman dressed in black tactical gear who got out of his car at a Texas mall Saturday and opened fire in the parking lot — before being shot dead himself by a police officer at the scene, officials said.
The deadly mass shooting unfolded at 3:36 p.m. at the Allen Premium Outlets — about 30 minutes north of Dallas — when a lone gunman got out of a vehicle and began firing, according to police and footage from the parking lot.
An officer who was at the mall responding to an unrelated call heard the shots, ran toward the sound, and “engaged and neutralized the threat,” Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey told reporters at a press briefing.
Six victims of the shooter were found dead at the scene, while nine others were transported to area hospitals for treatment, two of which later died from their wounds, Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said.
Police did not give the ages of the victims but witnesses said children were among the casualties — and that they saw what looked like a cop or mall guard wounded on the ground.
A Dallas-based hospital treated eight victims from the shooting, ranging in age from 5 years old to 61, according to CNN.
Graphic video circulating on social media shows the body of a man shot in the incident who is purported to be the slain shooter. The man is seen in heavy military tactical gear in a pool of his own blood on the sidewalk outside of a Fatburger location in the mall.
Behind the man, who is dressed in all black, an assault rifle can be seen lying on the ground, the video shows.
While officials have not named the shooter as of early Sunday, police searched a home in Northeast Dallas that is reportedly where he lived.
The man, who is in his 30s, lives with his parents and is said to drive a gray Dodge Charger and occasionally be seen in a security guard-type uniform, WFAA-TV reported. The FBI was also involved in the search and talking to the family through a translator, the report said.
