Eight people died after a man opened fire on Saturday afternoon in a Texas shopping center, emergency services reported.
At least seven people are being treated at the hospital, three of whom are in serious condition. According to witnesses, the subject fired indiscriminately at those who were at the Allen Premium Outlets, located in the city of Allen. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the shopping complex.
The police reported that they killed the shooter and that they believe the individual acted alone. Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said seven people, including the shooter, were pronounced dead at the scene and two died at the hospital.
The ages of the victims range from 5 to 51, according to a hospital spokesperson. Texas Governor Greg Abbott described the shooting as an “unspeakable tragedy” and said the state was ready to offer assistance to local authorities.
“I heard about ten pops and then ten to fifteen more shots. We see this guy dressed all in black, with a vest, shooting at people,” a witness recounted.
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Fontayne Payton, who was in a clothing store, heard the shots despite the headphones she was wearing and was able to tell the AP news agency that when people were able to leave the mall, she saw bodies outside. “I pray they weren’t kids, but they looked like kids,” she noted. “It broke me to go out there and see that.”
Remember Most adults 21 and older in Texas can carry a firearm without a license, unless they have a prior conviction. Additionally, there are few restrictions on the possession of rifles and shotguns.
So far this year, there have been at least 198 mass shootings in the United States, in which four or more people were killed or injured, according to the Gun Violence Archive. This is the highest number at this point in the year since at least 2016.