"Texas Shooting Spree: Gunman Kills Eight in Allen Shopping Center"

2023-05-07 03:04:15

Texas

Shooting spree in shopping center – man shoots eight people

A gunman killed eight people and injured seven others in a shooting spree in Allen, Texas.

published7. May 2023, 05:04

According to authorities, at least nine people have been shot dead.

Screenshot Twitter

In Allen, Texas, a man pulled the gun and killed eight people.
Authorities said at least seven others were injured.
The man was shot by the authorities, the background to the crime initially remained unclear.

In a shopping spree in the US state of Texas Authorities say eight people have died. The crime happened on Saturday in Allen, a suburb of the city of Dallas. A police officer who happened to be on site at the time shot the alleged perpetrator before there could have been any further fatalities, the local authorities said at a press conference on Saturday evening (local time). Seven injured are still being treated in hospital, three of them are in critical condition.

According to police, a police officer who was working on something else at the time heard shots in the shopping complex on Saturday afternoon. The officer intervened immediately, caught the shooter and “switched it off”. Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey said he was believed to have acted alone. The background to the crime initially remained unclear.

Local fire chief Jonathan Boyd said rescue workers initially found seven dead, including the shooter, when they arrived at the scene. Nine people were taken to the hospital, two of whom died from their injuries. The remaining seven would still be treated. The authorities initially did not provide more detailed information about the fatalities and injuries, nor about the perpetrator.

TV pictures showed people being led out of the large shopping complex. Eyewitnesses told CNN that they heard dozens of shots and saw a man dressed in black firing.

“Unspeakable Tragedy”

The Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, described the act in a written statement as an “unspeakable tragedy”. The White House said US President Joe Biden had been informed of the incident. The government headquarters are in contact with law enforcement and local authorities to offer support.

The US has long faced massive levels of gun violence. Rampages and fatal shootings are part of everyday life. Larger attacks of this type – for example in schools, supermarkets, churches, nightclubs or at large public events – regularly lead to discussions about tightening gun laws. So far without any success. Firearms are readily available in the United States and are widely circulated.

Biden repeatedly calls for stricter gun laws and has slightly tightened certain regulations during his tenure. Without substantial changes in the law, however, experts see no chance of real change. In order to implement this, however, Biden and his Democrats would have to rely on the willingness of the Republicans in Congress to cooperate – and that is not in sight on this topic.

Just a few days ago, there was also a sensational case of brutal gun violence in Texas: A 38-year-old shot five neighbors, including a child, in a small town near Houston. The neighbors had previously asked him to stop shooting around in his front yard so their baby could sleep. Instead of calming down, the drunk man went over a little later with a gun and committed the bloodbath.

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