May 8, 2023 - Texas outlet mall shooting news

Three Korean Americans have been identified as victims of the mass shooting in Allen, Texas, on Saturday.

The Houston office of the South Korean Consulate confirmed that Cho Kyu Song, 37, Kang Shin Young, 35, and their child were killed, according to the Dallas Morning News. They did not give the name or age of the child who was killed.

The family had visited the mall together during an “afternoon that should have been filled with light, love and celebration unfortunately was cut short by another mass shooting massacre that left 8 victims dead,” the verified GoFundMe said.

Two elementary school students from the Wylie Independent School District have been identified as victims of the outlet mall shooting in Allen, Texas.

Sisters Daniela Mendoza, a fourth-grader, and Sofia Mendoza, a second-grader, were identified in a letter that was sent to parents by Wylie ISD.

Their mother, Ilda Mendoza, is in the hospital in critical condition, the letter says.

The school district said it is not announcing this news to the students and is leaving it up to the parents to have that conversation with their children.

Counseling services are being offered for students, staff and families, the letter says.

Cox Elementary School Principal, Krista Wilson, described the sisters as “rays of sunshine,” according to the letter.

“Our love for our kiddos and each other will get us through this,” the letter reads, “Daniela and Sofia will not be forgotten. Hug your kids, and tell them you love them.”

Mauricio Garcia, the suspected Texas mall shooter, was terminated after three months in the army and did not complete basic training, according to an army spokesperson.

Garcia entered the Army in June 2008 but was not given a specific job, called a military occupational specialty, said army spokesperson Heather Hagan.  

He had no deployments or awards during his short time in the army, Hagan added.

Garcia was separated because of designated physical or mental health conditions, according to an Army official.

A US defense official said Garcia was separated because of a mental health condition. Garcia received a mental health evaluation before his separation, the official said.

Under Army regulations at the time that Garcia was separated, a commander can approve separation of a service member for physical or mental health conditions that interfere with an assignment or performance of duty.

One person who was taken to a children's hospital after Saturday's shooting at the Allen, Texas, outlet mall is now in good condition, the health care system said.

That patient was transported to Medical City Children's Hospital and was previously listed in fair condition, CNN reported Sunday. The age of that patient has not been released. 

At Medical City McKinney, three people remain in critical condition and one person is in fair condition. Another patient is in fair condition at Medical City Plano, according to the statement Monday from Medical City Healthcare.

Eight people were killed in the shooting and at least seven people were hurt when a gunman, CNN reported.  

Texas Democratic state lawmakers are speaking out with frustration, anger and even tears over the gun safety proposals that have languished in the legislative session and demanding action be taken.

“Texans want common sense gun reform,” state Sen. Carol Alvarado said at a news conference in Austin. “This is insane, y’all. This is absolutely nuts that we are standing here again,” she said, noting that 39 gun reform bills have been proposed and there’s yet to be a hearing on a single one. 

The comments come after a gunman killed eight people at a shopping mall in an affluent Texas suburb on Saturday, the second-deadliest US mass shooting of the year.

“That's why we're here today, because Gov. (Greg) Abbott and (Lt. Gov.) Dan Patrick and everybody like them have made this country this state more dangerous by having no gun laws,” said state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, the site of another mass shooting in Texas in May 2022.

Elements of the pending proposals address mental health, implementing age restrictions on gun ownership, adding red flag protective orders and closing gun show loopholes.

One specific bill, HB 2744, which aims to raise the legal age for owning an AR-15-style semiautomatic weapon to 21, remains in committee.

Referring to guns, Wu said, “We value things over people. At some point, the people blocking the laws that could help prevent these type of tragedies – at some point they take ownership of some of these tragedies.”

Mauricio Garcia, the suspect in the Allen, Texas, mall shooting, served for a brief period in the US military but was removed due to concerns about his mental health, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation tells CNN. 

The source could not specify the branch Garcia served in or the time period.

CNN has reached out to the Pentagon for comment.

Aishwarya Thatikonda was one of one of the eight people killed Saturday when a man opened fire at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas, according to CNN affiliate WFAA.

Thatikonda, an engineer who lived in McKinney, Texas, was with a friend at the outlet mall when the shooting began, according to a family representative, WFAA reported. Her family, who lives in India, told the station they plan to have her body sent to India.

Her friend was injured in the shooting and is currently in stable condition at a hospital, WFAA reports.

Thatikonda was a few days away from turning 28, according to Ashok Kolla, a spokesperson with the Telugu Association of North America.

She moved to the United States about five years ago to pursue her master’s degree, Kolla said, adding that her family and friends describe her as a loving and hard-working person who was respected by her co-workers.

The organization has been in contact with Thatikonda's family and are working to arrange the return of her remains to India, Kolla said.

There have been more than 200 mass shootings in the US so far this year just within the first five months of this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter.

That means there have been more shootings than days so far this year and more shootings than at this point in any year since at least 2013. Last year, the country reached 200 mass shootings on May 15, according to the Archive.

Here’s how 2023 compares with previous years:

The Texas outlet mall shooter, Mauricio Garcia, had worked for at least three security companies and had undergone hours of firearms proficiency training in recent years, according to a database maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

None of the companies immediately responded to requests for comment.

The 33-year-old was approved to work as a security guard in Texas from April 2016 until April 2020, when his license expired, according to his profile in the Texas Online Private Security database.

As part of his work, Garcia received Level II and Level III security training. Level II covers security laws in Texas. Level III, which is required for all commissioned security officers and personal protection officers in Texas, includes firearm training and the demonstration of firearm proficiency, according to Jonah Nathan, vice president of Ranger Guard, a security guard service in Texas not affiliated with Garcia’s employers.

In 2018, Garcia completed a separate firearms proficiency training course, which required six hours of continuing education, according to the database.

It’s unclear why Garcia’s license expired.

Private security guards in Texas undergo background checks and are disqualified if they have committed certain crimes such as assault, burglary or sexual offenses, among others, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety website and state codes.

They are also disqualified if they have been dishonorably discharged from the US military; have been found incompetent by a court of law; or have been required to register as a sex offender.