I want to show you a live look this
morning at Allen Premium Outlets.
Most other Sundays, this mall would
be a few hours away from welcoming
shoppers for another busy day.
Instead, investigators are still on
the scene after a gunman opened fire,
leaving seven people in the hospital,
killing eight.
Now we do want to give you
an idea of where this is.
The mall is on West Stacy Rd.
In Allen, just off of Hwy. 75.
This is a popular shopping
destination with more than 120 stores.
Our reporters are standing by to
bring you team coverage right now
from the mall and the hospital
where victims are being treated.
Here's what we know right now.
That gunman opened fire just
after 330 yesterday afternoon.
Again, eight people were killed.
Seven were injured.
A police officer who just happened
to already be on the scene then
shot and killed that suspect.
I want to go over right now to Chris Sodoki.
He was at the mall in Allen this morning.
Chris, what are you seeing today?
Mark, right now there is still a
perimeter set up around the outlet mall.
You can see this D PS:.
Trooper behind me keeping anybody
from going into the entrance.
Now from my vantage point,
I can still see several cars into
that parking lot belonging to those
customers who showed up they thought.
For a day of shopping and
instead witnessed the latest mass
killing here in a public place.
Those customers were unable to drive
their cars away from the outlet mall.
They had to find another way home.
Now we're about to show you some
video as the shooting was happened.
You will not see anything graphic,
but we want to warn you it can be upsetting.
Within just a matter of minutes,
videos like that one started
showing up on social media,
giving us all an idea of the gunfire
and the panic from the shoppers here.
Shortly after 330 yesterday,
witnesses described a shooter
dressed in black began shooting
in front of the H&M store and
by the time they were done,
seven people were dead here on
scene and several more hit and 8th
person would die at the hospital.
We'll get an update from the
hospital here in a moment.
The shooter was also killed on scene,
and Allen police say it was an officer
responding to a totally different
call at the mall that helped stop the
shooter from taking any more lives.
He heard gunshots, located the gunshot,
located the shooter,
neutralized the shooter,
neutralized the threat.
We believe at this point
that the shooter acted alone.
We are asking for the public's
help if you were a witness,
if you have any video.
Now, As for who this shooter was,
within a matter of hours,
police and FBI agents made their way to
a home on Piper Lane in northeast Dallas.
Resources tell us they were
interviewing the shooter's family.
Those sources also tell us
that the man was in his 30s,
although we do not have his
exact identity or any possible
motivations at this point.
But we did talk to neighbors who told
us they would see him around the house,
often dressed in dark clothing,
and this is how they described
his behavior to us.
Just looked a little,
a little, all. Just got that weird
vibe from him. Like somebody,
you know, just kind of.
It's not all there. We just
kept to himself, just
quiet. And neighbors also told us
that they would see a Gray charger
parked in front of that home.
That is the same vehicle description
of a car that was seen here at
the mall from our helicopter.
We could see it. It was in the
parking lot with the doors open.
Now the H&M store did send out a.
Statement that is the store where the
shooting happened right out in front.
They said that all of their
employees are safe and accounted for.
However, they will remain closed today
as we imagine most of the shops in this
outlet mall if not all will because
this investigation is happening.
Allen police say they will reconvene
to can resume their investigation
at 9:00 o'clock in the morning.
So far we've not gotten any information
for the shoppers who were here.
When or how they'll be able
to retrieve their cars.
But we will update that information
throughout the day as we get it.
For now, I want to send it
to my colleague Matt Houston.
He is in McKinney at Medical City City,
McKinney with an update on the victims,
including those that lost their lives.
Matt,
the doctors here are treating
at least seven victims,
perhaps even an eighth hospital
spokesperson tells us their ages
range from just five years old.
To 61. Truly a heartbreaking number.
There, the state designates certain
hospitals based on their ability to
care for the most serious injuries.
A Level 1 trauma center has the most
resources for that kind of treatment.
McKinney Medical City is a Level 2
trauma center, so plenty of resources
to take care of those folks.
We don't know how much.
We don't know much about these victims,
rather beyond their age ranges,
only that they were at the
Allen Premium Outlets yesterday
with hundreds of other people.
Police went store to store,
clearing shoppers to go outside.
Eventually many walked out of the
mall with hands above their heads.
Some described hearing the gunshots.
Others only experienced the chaos to follow.
People
just start running in the store.
The manager did a real good job.
He locked the lock, the doors,
locked the store and I went
to the back of the building,
back of the store, and all you just
heard was gunshots for like 5 minutes.
It's messed up.
My mom's pretty torn up.
I know I'm gonna have some
thinking to do after this
now. State Representative Jeff Leach
will host a vigil for victims tonight
at Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church.
That happens at 5:00 PM.
It is open to the public just a few miles
from where we are right now in McKinney.
We're gonna have another update
for you on these victims here
in the next half hour or so.
For now, I'm Matt Houston.
Mark, back to you.
OK, Matt. Thank you for that
update this morning. Meanwhile,
the White House says President Biden
is staying aware of the investigation.
Officials issued a statement that
the president has been briefed
on the shooting in Allen, TX.
They also say that officials are in touch
with law enforcement to offer support.
Likewise, Texas Governor Greg Abbott yet
again offering thoughts and prayers,
saying in a statement.
I have offered the full support of
the state of Texas to local officials
to ensure all needed assistance
and resources are swiftly deployed.
We've also heard from Allen ISD this morning.
The school district says it will
have counselors available tomorrow
for those who need it.
Officials say they will release more.
Information to parents and
students sometime later today.
Be sure to stay with us.
We're going to continue our coverage
on the shooting throughout the hour,
and you can get the very latest
anytime online at wfaa.com
and on our WFAA mobile app.