Global Courant 2023-05-07 07:15:28
Nine people, including the suspect, were killed in a shooting Saturday at a mall in the Dallas area, authorities said.
Seven people died at the scene at Allen Premium Outlets and two others were pronounced dead at the hospital, Allen fire chief Jonathan Boyd said.
The Allen Fire Department initially transported nine people to the hospital, where two later died, Boyd said. Three people remained in critical surgery Saturday night and four were stabilized, he said.
Brian Harvey, the chief of police in Allen, Texas, north of Dallas, said earlier Saturday that the suspected shooter was “neutralized” by a city police officer responding to an unrelated call at the mall, he said.
The suspect was one of nine killed, Harvey said Saturday night.
Janet St. James, a spokesperson for Medical City Healthcare, which operates multiple trauma facilities in North Texas, said it has received eight patients from the shooting who range in age from 5 to 61.
Law enforcement officials responded to reports of an “active gunman” at Allen Premium Outlets at 3:36 p.m., officials said.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives described the situation as an “active shooting incident” and said it was responding to the mall.
Little information about the suspect was available. Speaking at a press conference early in the evening, Harvey said: “We believe he acted alone and we don’t believe there is another threat at this point.”
A law enforcement officer walks as people are evacuated from a mall where a shooting took place on Saturday, May 6, 2023 in Allen, Texas. LM Otero/AP
A silver sedan on the property appeared to have been shot down and was in an area cordoned off by investigators, according to reports from NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.
Responding law enforcement officers helped evacuate shoppers and cleared each shopkeeper to make sure there were no more dangers, according to witness statements.
Multiple store patrons and employees said they heard gunshots and took cover where they could before fleeing or barricading themselves in back rooms.
Stan and Mary Ann Greene were browsing Columbia’s sportswear store when the shooting began.
“We had just come in, just a few minutes earlier, and we just heard a lot of loud bangs,” Mary Ann Greene told The Associated Press.
Employees immediately rolled down the security gate and led everyone to the back of the store until police arrived and escorted them out, the Greenes said.
Several witnesses reported seeing bodies, some of them covered up.
Tarakram Nunna and Ramakrishna Mullapudi said they saw what appeared to be three people lying motionless on the ground, The Associated Press reported.
People raise their hands as they leave a mall following reports of a Saturday shooting in Allen, Texas. LM Otero/AP
Gov. Greg Abbott called the situation an “unspeakable tragedy.”
“Our hearts are with the people of Allen, Texas tonight during this unspeakable tragedy,” he said.
The state’s full support was made available to Allen officials and first responders, Abbott said. Resources include Texas Department of Public Safety agents, Texas Rangers and state investigators, he said.
Allen police said the matter is under investigation and people should stay away from the mall.
The FBI and other agencies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The mall is occupied 69 hectares and is managed by Simon Property Group, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It houses more than 120 retailers.
Allen is about 30 miles north of Dallas.
This is a to develop story. Check back later for updates.
Andrew Blankstein, Cristian Santana, Clare Secrist, Joe Kottke, Emma Li, and Associated Press contributed.
