8 killed, 7 injured in shooting at Allen outlet mall near Dallas
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People on Sunday watch as the construction of a wooden cross memorial is completed at the site of a fatal mass shooting a day earlier at Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas. Photo by Stewart F. House/Getty Images
At least eight people died and seven others remained hospitalized after a gunman opened fire at the Allen Premium Outlets outside Dallas on Saturday afternoon. The gunman was also dead, officials said.
The big picture: There have been 199 mass shootings in the U.S. this year as of May 6, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
- Last month, there were mass shootings at a Louisville bank, which killed five and injured multiple others, and a Nashville school, which killed six including three children.
- Five people in a small Texas town died in another mass shooting in late April.
Driving the news: Police believe the shooter, who was killed at the scene by a police officer, acted alone.
- The investigation remains open and active.
Details: Around 3:35pm, an Allen police officer responding to an unrelated call at the outlets heard gunfire and tracked down where the shots were coming from. The officer then fatally shot the shooter, Allen police Chief Brian Harvey said.
- Video reportedly taken during the shooting Saturday shows people running away from the mall's parking lot as several gunshots ring out.
- Seven people, including the gunman, died at the scene, police said. Two more people died at the hospital.
- As of Saturday night, three people were in critical condition and four people were in stable condition, per police.
Of note: Officials also didn't give details on the ages of the victims, but the AP reported that Medical City Healthcare treated eight of the victims ranging from ages 5 to 61.
What they're saying: "This is a tragic day for the city of Allen," Allen Mayor Ken Fulk said. He added that condolences have poured in from all over the world, including the White House and Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
- "Our hearts are with the people of Allen, Texas, tonight during this unspeakable tragedy," Abbott said in a statement.
- "First and foremost, we need to keep the families impacted by this tragedy in our prayers. … We will never know how many lives were saved by the swift response of our first responders," said U.S. Rep. Keith Self, a Republican whose district includes Allen.
Flashback: Nearly a year ago, a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers in a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school.
- Family members of the victims are pressing the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature to tighten gun restrictions, but with less than a month until the end of the legislative session, those bills are languishing.
What’s next: Harvey said police are still investigating the Allen shooting.
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Dallas field division is among the agencies helping with the investigation.
- Allen police ask that anyone with information about the shooting leave a tip at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Go deeper:
- What we know about the Texas mall shooting
- Vast majority of Americans believe mass shootings are preventable
- Survey: 1 in 6 Americans have witnessed a shooting
Editor's note: The headline has been updated to exclude the shooter from the death toll, after clarification from local police.
