Mass shooting at Dallas mall leaves eight dead and seven injured

A horrific shooting incident unfolded at the Premium Outlets mall in Allen, Texas, just outside of Dallas, resulting in eight fatalities and seven injuries. The shopping center, an outdoor complex with a population of approximately 100,000 residents, was filled with panic as hundreds of shoppers scrambled for safety.

The assailant, who drove a silver sedan, opened fire on unsuspecting visitors. The shooting killed eight and injured seven others, three of whom are now in critical condition. A police officer who happened to be in the area neutralized the gunman, ending the threat.

Maxwell Gum, a 16-year-old pretzel stand employee, recounted the chaos as he and others hid in a storage room. The teen was on his lunch break when a family, who spoke a limited amount of English, frantically warned him about the shooter. Gum led the family to a long corridor behind the mall’s stores, which he believed would be a safe hiding spot. Instead, they found chaos as nearly 300 people rushed in from various entrances, frightened and screaming.

Online footage captured the shooter stepping out of his vehicle and immediately opening fire on people nearby. Over three dozen shots rang out as the video’s recording vehicle drove away.

Although authorities have not yet released information on the victims, witnesses reported that children might be among the casualties. Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd confirmed six deaths at the scene, with two additional fatalities occurring at the hospital. Of the injured, three remain in critical condition, while the other four are in stable condition.

An Allen police officer responded to the scene at 3:36 pm after hearing the shots, as reported by the police department’s Facebook post. The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the incident and had offered support to local officials. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has previously eased firearms restrictions in response to mass shootings, referred to the event as an “unspeakable tragedy.”