WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden on Sunday condemned the “senseless acts of violence” by a Texas shooter who killed 8 people in a shopping mall carnage.
In a White House announcement, President Biden ordered US flags flown at half-mast at federal buildings, American embassies and military posts until sunset, May 11, “as a mark of respect for the victims” of the attack. Reports said that seven people were injured in the attack.
President Biden Denounces ‘Senseless’ Texas Gunfire
Earlier, a shooting rampage erupted at an outlet mall located north of Dallas, Texas on Saturday, resulting in multiple fatalities and leaving at least nine individuals wounded, according to emergency officials.
CNN reported that some of the victims were as young as five years old. The incident unfolded at around 3:30 pm (2030 GMT) when a shooter opened fire, causing chaos and panic among shoppers and staff at the Allen Premium Outlets. The mall was crowded with visitors at the time of the attack.
Police Chief Brian Harvey of the Allen, Texas, police department stated that an officer happened to be present at the mall on an unrelated call when the gunshots were fired. The officer quickly responded to the scene, engaging the suspect and ultimately neutralizing them. The officer promptly called for medical assistance.
Confirming the presence of fatalities, Chief Harvey refrained from providing an exact death toll, citing the lack of an accurate count at the time. Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd disclosed that his department had transported nine wounded victims to nearby trauma facilities for urgent medical care.
The shooting prompted initial concerns of a potential second shooter at the sprawling shopping complex. Law enforcement conducted a thorough search of the mall, while shoppers and store employees hurriedly evacuated into the parking lots, as captured by photos and drone video from the scene.
Chief Harvey later revealed that the police believe the unidentified shooter, reportedly dressed in tactical gear, had acted alone, dispelling the earlier suspicion of additional perpetrators.
A father, Jaynal Pervez, who arrived at the mall upon receiving a distressing phone call from his daughter who was inside, recounted his encounter with the police. Pervez mentioned that law enforcement had informed him about the possibility of a second shooter still being at large.
“We saw the police officials outside the door, and they told us we had to go, and that forces are still looking for the person,” Pervez told CNN, expressing his sense of unease. “There’s no more safe places. I don’t know what to do.”
Texas Governor describes shooting as unspeakable tragedy
Texas Governor Greg Abbott described the mass shooting as an “unspeakable tragedy.” The incident adds to the distressing statistics surrounding gun violence in the United States, a country with a significantly high rate of firearm-related deaths compared to other developed nations. In 2021 alone, the country witnessed approximately 49,000 gun deaths, marking an increase from the previous year’s toll of 45,000.
According to available data from the Gun Violence Archive, there have been more than 195 mass shootings, defined as incidents involving four or more people either injured or killed, in the United States thus far in 2023. The alarming frequency of such incidents underscores the ongoing challenges related to gun violence in the country.
