Two days after Allen mall shooting, community looks to heal
Two days after a gunman killed 8 people and injured 7 others at an Allen, Texas, mall , authorities have revealed few details about the shooter and victims.
The mall, Allen Premium Outlets, is located 30 miles away from Dallas and has remained closed since the shooting. Hundreds of shoppers who were at the scene were escorted out by authorities Saturday and weren’t able to retrieve their cars.
The local FBI started a car retrieval process Sunday that continues until Monday at 2 pm. They are providing support services and crisis assistance to victims at the Allen Senior Recreation Center, which includes “mental health services, spiritual care, and potential financial assistance.”
During a press conference on border security Monday morning, Gov. Greg Abbott said it’s still unclear why the shooter did what he did. But officials will have more in coming days.
“That will inform us as Texas leaders about next steps to take to try and prevent these crimes,” Abbott said.
Abbott attended attended a vigil for the victims Sunday evening along with other state leaders, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and McKinney state Sen. Angela Paxton. They did not make any remarks.
Some of the fatalities have now been identified as Christian LaCour, a 20-year-old Farmersville resident; Aishwarya Thatikonda, a 27-year-old project engineer from India; a South Korean couple, Cho Kyu Song, 37, and Kang Shin Young, 35, and one of their two children; and 2 elementary school students: fourth-grader Daniela Mendoza and second-grader Sofia Mendoza.
As the community tries to heal, investigators have identified the shooter as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia.
Law enforcement executed search warrants at the Budget Suites hotel at 8150 N Stemmons Freeway, where they said Garcia was staying , and at a home in northeast Dallas.
The peace enjoyed by neighbors on Piper Ln. in northeast Dallas was shattered Sunday when it was revealed that Mauricio Garcia, who was identified by authorities as the Allen shooter, was their neighbor.
Louis Moore, a neighbor, said he has lived there for more than 13 years and that family has always been there, but he hardly spoke with them because they don’t speak English well.
“Like all of us, that family tried to give a good life to their children and surely they didn’t realize when this boy lost his mental sanity and this happened is also a tragedy for them,” he said. “I’m so sorry that they lost a son as well.”
Tisha Williams, whose family has lived in that street for more than 60 years, also commented that this is a cordial family.
“Yes, I would see the boy all the time, and he was very friendly, he would say hello warmly, but we never had a close relationship with them,” Williams said.
Mauricio Garcia’s family’s home is in the 9000 block of Piper Ln. and some people would come by on foot or by car to see the house. Some stopped to take pictures.
Residents of the home were inside and visitors arrived at times, but none agreed to speak to The News.
Garcia has no history of incarceration within the state prison system, Texas Department of Criminal Justice Director of Communications Amanda Hernandez confirmed. He had an active misdemeanor warrant for drug paraphernalia in Garland from 2020, according to police records.
Garcia entered the Army in June 2008 and was terminated three months later without completing initial training, said U.S. Army spokeswoman Heather Hagan. He was not deployed or awarded a specialty. Hagan said the army does not characterize why soldiers are discharged.
In his phone’s voice message recording, he said “Hi, this is Mauricio. If you’re the phone company, I already sent the money. If you’re my parents, please send money. If you’re my financial aid institution, you didn’t lend me enough money. If you’re my friends, you owe me money. If you’re a female, don’t worry, I have plenty of money.”
Police have yet to identify any of the victims publicly. No press conferences have been scheduled, while the two held on Saturday didn’t allow for questions.
Saturday’s shooting was the second-deadliest in the country in 2023, behind a January shooting at Monterey Park, California, ballroom that left 12 dead.
