A mass shooting at a Dallas-area outlet mall has left eight victims dead — in addition to the shooter — and several others injured, Allen, Texas, police said.
The shooting happened around 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Allen Premium Outlets mall, about 25 miles north of downtown Dallas. Witnesses told WFAA-TV in Dallas that they saw the shooter near a Fatburger restaurant at the mall.
Allen Fire Department Chief Jonathan Boyd, in a late news conference, said nine people were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Two later died, leaving three in critical condition and four stable.
Medical City Healthcare said it received eight of the victims, ranging in age from 5 to 61 years old.
The Allen Police Department said one of its officers was responding to an unrelated call nearby when they heard the gunfire. The officer “engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat,” police said, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Authorities haven’t released the identity of the victims or shooter, or the motive for the shooting. Police believe the shooter acted alone.
Police also haven’t revealed what kind of weapon the gunman used, but CNN reported he used an AR-15-style weapon based on photos obtained from the scene.
Footage from the scene in the hours after the shooting showed hundreds of shoppers being evacuated from the sprawling outdoor mall.
One witness, Joseph Adams, told the News he saw at least four victims lying on the ground outside an H&M store. He said he used clothing from inside his vehicle to help bandage the wounds, including those of a child shot in the neck.
“People were yelling for help, for ambulances, as cops drove by looking for the shooter,” Adams said. “It was just chaos. I did everything I could think of to help, and as a teacher, all I want to do is help kids, but it’s horrible to think it was at the risk of my own kid seeing it.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he was working with Allen Mayor Ken Fulk and other local authorities “to ensure all needed assistance and resources are swiftly deployed, including [Texas Department of Public Safety] officers, Texas Rangers and investigative resources.
A statement from the White House said President Joe Biden was monitoring the situation and had been in contact with local officials and law enforcement. He ordered flags to be flown at half staff.
“Yesterday, an assailant in tactical gear armed with an AR-15 style assault weapon gunned down innocent people in a shopping mall, and not for the first time. Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar,” Biden said in a statement. (UPI)