Texas mall shooting: Everything we know about the deadly mall massacre

Eight people died and seven were injured when a shooter dressed in tactical gear and armed with an assault rifle opened fire at a mall in Allen, Texas.

The suspect was shot by an officer responding to an unrelated call, police said.

Hundreds of shoppers fled the Allen Premium Outlets, a large outdoor space shopping centerafter gunfire erupted around 3:30 p.m. local time on Saturday.

Seven people, including the shooter, were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others died after being taken to a hospital, the Allen Police Department said.

Here’s what we know about the shooting so far.

How the shooting unfolded

Surveillance video circulating on social media showed the gunman getting out of a gray sedan just outside the mall’s entrance and immediately opening fire on bystanders in the parking lot.

More than three dozen shots were heard on the video.

Witnesses said CNN that panicked shoppers screamed and hid behind cars while the suspect fired indiscriminately.

Inside the mall, families and employees rushed to take shelter in warehouses and hallways, witnesses said.

According to Allen police, an officer who was on an unrelated call at the Allen Premium Outlets heard gunshots at 3:36 p.m. Saturday.

The officer “engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat,” police said in a statement on Facebook.

Audio recording obtained by Daily mail caught the officer telling the dispatcher, “I need all I got.”

About two minutes after he called 911, the officer said he “took him to the ground.”

Police and medics soon flooded the area.

An image obtained by the media shows the suspect lying on the ground after being shot.

He was wearing a black bulletproof vest, with extra magazines strapped to his chest and AR-15a rifle lay next to him.

Maxwell Gum, a 16-year-old worker at a pretzel stand, told The Associated Press that frightened customers thrashed as they scrambled for safety. He said he took refuge in the pantry.

Another witness, Kingsley Ezeh, told CNN that he heard a woman behind him yelling “someone’s shooting” and saw a man holding a wound on his neck that was dripping blood.

Mr Ezeh said he and others huddled behind the shop for more than two hours while police cleared the scene.

Steven Spainhouer, an Allen resident, said he rushed to the scene after receiving a call from his son, who worked at the local H&M store.

Mr. Spainhouer said he saw several children among the dead and tried to perform CPR on several victims. At least three people he tried to save succumbed to their injuries at the scene.

“I never imagined that in 100 years I would be thrust into the position of being the first responder in a place to take care of people,” Mr. Spainhouer told CBS News.

“The first girl I walked up to was crouching and covering her head in the bushes, so I felt for a pulse, pulled her head to the side and she didn’t have a face.”

Video footage showed hundreds of shoppers leaving the mall with their hands raised.

What we know about the victims

Seven people — including the suspect — were killed at the scene, Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said said at the Saturday press conference. Nine people were transported to the hospital, where two others succumbed to their injuries.

The three survivors were undergoing surgery and remained in a critical condition Saturday night, Mr. Boyd said. The other four were in stable condition.

Medical City Healthcare spokeswoman Janet St James said their trauma facilities admitted eight patients, ranging in age from 5 to 61, after the shooting.

The identities and ages of the victims have not yet been released, but witnesses report that young children are among them.

What we know about the suspect

Police have not yet identified the attacker or released a possible motive.

The shooter drove himself to the mall. The video showed him exiting a gray limousine vehicle, wearing black tactical gear and armed with an AR-15-style weapon and opening fire.

Police allegedly searched the suspect’s home.

The Texas Bureau of Public Safety is leading the investigation into the suspect. The FBI and Texas supervisors were also deployed to assist local law enforcement in the investigation.

What the legislators say

Allen Mayor Ken Fulk said in a statement that quick thinking by law enforcement prevented more loss of life.

“Their thorough training to not hesitate to move against a threat probably saved more lives today.”

He said the community would “wrap its arms around” the victims and families affected by the tragedy.

“Allen is a proud and safe city, which makes today’s senseless violence all the more shocking,” he said.

Governor of Texas Greg Abbottwho recently signed into law easing gun restrictions, called the mall shooting an “unspeakable tragedy.”

His comments drew the ire of gun safety advocates and state and national lawmakers.

Roland Gutierrez, a Texas state senator, said MSNBC there was a “special place in hell” for lawmakers who do nothing to stop the unprecedented wave of gun violence.

“I care about their thoughts and their prayers,” Mr. Gutierrez said.

Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed in the Parkland school shooting, urged Mr Abbott tell Texans the truth about why mass shootings continue to happen.

“You must explain that your policy failed and that you lied. Your politics are to blame.”

President Joe Biden has asked Congress to send him a bill to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and introduce universal background checks.

“Republican members of Congress cannot continue to deal with this epidemic with a shrug,” he said. he said in a statement. “Tweeted thoughts and prayers are not enough.”

He ordered American flags at the White House, public buildings and military bases to be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect for the victims.

Sen. Ted Cruz said he is praying for the victims and the greater Collin County community.

“Thank you to the amazing law enforcement who stopped the monster who committed this evil.”

The shooting happened a week later five family members were killed neighbor in Cleveland after asking him to stop firing his weapon while the child slept.

According to reports archive of gun violencethere have already been almost 200 mass shootings in 2023.

The FBI is requesting video of the shooting

The FBI is asking anyone with video, audio or photographic evidence of Saturday’s shooting to share it with them.

He has an office set up a portal where evidence can be submitted anonymously.

The FBI told CNN it is “present at two locations in Dallas” and is assisting state and local police by “dedicating all available resources to include investigative, intelligence, digital forensics and victim assistance personnel, among other things.”