Eight Killed in Texas Mall Shooting
At least eight people were killed and multiple others were injured Saturday after a gunman opened fire at a crowded outlet mall near Dallas, in Allen, Texas.
Facts
- At least eight people were killed and multiple others were injured Saturday after a gunman opened fire at a crowded outlet mall near Dallas, in Allen, Texas.1
- Allen police chief Brian Harvey said the gunman was shot dead by a police officer who happened to be at the Allen Premium Outlets on an unrelated call.2
- The Texas Department of Public Safety on Sunday identified the shooter as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, who was found with an AR-15-style weapon and at least one other weapon after he was shot.3
- Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said at least nine people were rushed to trauma facilities — two had died — with three in critical condition and one in fair condition.3
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the shooting an “unspeakable tragedy.”4
- Saturday’s attack was the second-deadliest US shooting of the year, after the Jan. 21 massacre in California during which a gunman killed 11 people in a ballroom. According to the Gun Violence Archive, the US has suffered at least 198 mass shootings in 2023.5
Sources: 1Reuters, 2New York Times, 3CNN, 4Guardian, and 5The Hindu.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by BBC News. How many more Americans must die before stricter gun control regulations are passed? Abbott can't deflect from his role in shaping Texas' woeful gun laws and keeping guns as accessible as possible to the public. Republicans have become desensitized to mass shootings and senseless violence. Until key gun control proposals are enacted, the country will continue to lose countless innocent lives.
- Republican narrative, as provided by Daily Caller. The best way to keep everyone safe is for law-abiding citizens to arm themselves in the event a criminal attempts a mass shooting. Unfortunately, there are many places where you’re not allowed to carry or gun laws are restrictive. As the saying goes, the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is for there to be a good guy with a gun — this will translate to a safer public in the wake of these tragedies.
Predictions
