Authorities on Sunday were investigating the suspected gunman accused of murdering at least eight people and wounding seven in a mass shooting at a Texas outlet mall one day earlier, WFAA-TV reports.
Around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, a man opened fire at the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas, a northeast suburb of Dallas.
Video from the scene posted to social media appeared to show a man driving up to the exterior of the mall, exiting a car, and then pointing a rifle at passersby and shooting.
A police officer who happened to be at the mall on an unrelated matter heard the shots and rushed toward the gunfire, where the officer shot and killed the gunman, according to the Allen Police Department.
“The officer engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat. He then called for emergency personnel,” the department said in a press release.
A video posted to social media appeared to show the gunman on the ground in a pool of blood. He appeared to be wearing body armor with multiple magazines, while an AR-15-style weapon was in close proximity to the body.
Following the attack, a large law enforcement presence convened at a home in the northeast section of Dallas, including local police and FBI. Multiple sources told WFAA-TV that the residence belongs to the suspected shooter’s parents and that a translator was called to the house.
Neighbors told the television station that the shooter is believed to be a man in his 30s and had long lived in the house. The man drove a gray Dodge Charger, which is consistent with the video that recorded the shooting unfolding.
The neighbors said the man had often parked the Charger in front of the home, however, they said it had not been around in recent weeks.
Residents in the area said the suspect often wore what appeared to be a security guard uniform, but they had not seen him with a weapon. They reportedly noticed what the television station described as “certain unusual and quiet behaviors.”
Neighbors who spoke to WFAA-TV said they could not remember any police activity or problems at the home previously.
Meanwhile, witnesses at the mall reported a terrifying experience, with shoppers stampeding to find cover and sheltering wherever they could, including fitting and storage rooms. Many shops rolled down security gates and escorted shoppers to the back.
“We started running. Kids were getting trampled,” 16-year-old Maxwell Gum, a pretzel stand worker, told The Associated Press. “My co-worker picked up a 4-year-old girl and gave her to her parents.”
Witnesses leaving the mall said they saw bodies covered in white sheets on the ground. One person said they observed a man with his hands on his neck as “blood (was) just dripping down,” CNN reports.
Authorities have not released the names and ages of the victims, but one medical group said they were treating people between the ages of 5 and 61, according to the Dallas Morning News. At least three of the surviving victims were in critical condition Saturday evening.
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[Feature Photo: Law enforcement officers patrol at a shopping center after a shooting Saturday, May 6, 2023, in Allen, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)]
