According to a law enforcement source, investigators are examining whether the shooter who murdered eight people and injured seven others on Saturday at an outlet mall in Texas was inspired by ideas associated with domestic violent extremism. Mauricio Garcia, 33, has been named as the shooter, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced on Sunday.
Garcia started firing on Saturday at the Allen Premium Outlets in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex suburb of Allen before being shot and killed by a policeman. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the shooter is a native of Dallas.
According to a source who spoke to Pat Milton, senior investigative producer for CBS News, the shooter was well-armed and looked to be on a mission.
The informant claimed that the shooter had an assault-style rifle, many rounds of ammo, and armored ballistic clothing on him. In order to determine whether the suspect may have had connections to violent extremists and like-minded persons, the detectives are presently searching through the suspect’s social media and internet accounts for hints. Investigators are also looking into any connections he could have had with cartel and prison gang members.
In addition, two sources told CBS News that the gunman was wearing a patch that said “RWDS,” which stands for “Right Wing Death Squad” and is thought to be an acronym for a right-wing neo-Nazi organization.
According to information cited by CBS Texas, Garcia was residing in a hotel and employed as a security guard at the time of the incident. He has no significant criminal history. According to reports cited by CBS Texas, police stormed the gunman’s parents’ Dallas home late on Saturday night. According to CBS Texas, authorities also checked the Extended Stay hotel where he had been staying.
Following a string of mass shootings in Texas and throughout the nation in only the previous few months, there was a slaughter in Allen. Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, who had attended a prayer vigil the day before where demonstrators carried posters calling for gun legislation changes, declared during a press conference on Monday morning that he will cooperate with local law enforcement and leaders “to get to the bottom of what’s going on.”
“One thing I do know is that the residents of Allen, particularly the relatives of the victims of the shooting, want to know straight away why and how this occurred. At the time, the investigators were unable to disclose details, Abbott informed the press.
“I think the public will be much better informed about why and how this happened in the coming days,” he continued. And it will help us as Texas’ top officials choose the best course of action to attempt to stop crimes like this from happening again.
Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd told reporters at a press conference on Saturday night that nine casualties were taken by paramedics to nearby hospitals while another six victims were confirmed dead at the site. According to Boyd, two of them who were taken to the hospital eventually passed away.
A spokesman for Medical City Healthcare named Janet St. James told CBS News on Saturday that at least eight gunshot victims, whose ages varied from 5 to 61, had been transported to its trauma centers. Three patients are in critical condition, while three others are in fair condition, according to a Sunday update from Medical City Healthcare.
Christian LaCour, 20, who was working as a security guard at the outlet mall when he was slain, was one of the fatalities.
The Mexican Consulate General in Dallas stated that the Allen Police Department had verified that none of the fatalities were of Mexican nationality and added, “We deeply regret this tragic shooting that mourns North Texas and reiterate our condolences to the families of the victims.”
All flags at the White House and on public property are to be flown at half-staff as of Sunday per President Biden’s directive, “as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence.”
Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, said on Fox News on Sunday that the state was attempting to address the “root cause” of the unrest and violence that the nation was experiencing after being shown a survey that revealed that more than 80% of respondents supported gun restrictions.
The long-term remedy in this situation, according to Abbott, is to treat the mental health issue.