The Texas police officer who put an end to the mall shooting was frantically calling for help from fellow officers just moments before engaging the suspected gunman.
“I’ve got people running. There’s still shooting,” the officer could be heard shouting in Allen Police Department recordings, according to a New York Post report Sunday. “I need everybody I got.”
The dramatic call for backup came as the officer was rushing into the H&M store at Allen Premium Outlets where the shooting took place Saturday, resulting in at least eight deaths and seven injuries, including children. The gunman was also killed after his encounter with the officer.
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A law enforcement officer walks as people are evacuated from a shopping center where a shooting occurred Saturday, May 6, 2023, in Allen, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Gunshots could be heard ringing out in the store as the officer approached, urging his colleagues to get to the scene as fast as they could to take on the gunman, identified by law enforcement sources as 33-year-old Mauricio Martinez Garcia who used an AR-15-style rifle during the attack.
Just two minutes after pleading for backup, the police officer was back on the radio to report he had successfully neutralized the shooter.
“I got him down,” the officer says in the recording.
The officer responsible for stopping the attack has yet to be identified. Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey told reporters the officer was at the mall on an unrelated call when shooting rang out.
Texas police respond to reports of a shooting at Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday afternoon. (FOX 4 Dallas)
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“He heard gunshots, went to the gunshots, engaged the suspect and neutralized the suspect,” Harvey said.
Authorities in Texas searched the home of the man suspected to be responsible for the shooting on Sunday, with people in the neighborhood saying Garcia had lived in the area in a home with his parents for years. The neighbors also noted that while he was regularly seen in the area, he and his gray Dodge Charger were frequently missing in recent weeks.
The shooting began around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, with security video showing the man getting out of what appeared to be a gray Dodge Charger before entering the building.
At least eight people were killed in the attack, with six being declared dead at the scene. Another seven people were injured in the attack, three of whom were still listed in critical condition Sunday.
People gather across the street from a shopping center after a shooting Saturday, May 6, 2023, in Allen, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
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“We are horrified by today’s senseless tragedy and outraged by the violence that continues to plague our country,” the mall said in a statement after the attack. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and others affected by this heinous act. We are thankful for the police officer’s heroic actions and for the support of all the first responders.”
