May 8, 2023 - Texas outlet mall shooting news

The gunman who killed eight people at a Texas outlet mall appears to have written approvingly about Nazi ideology, shared images of his many firearms and posted a photo of the mall on a social media website in the weeks before the shooting.

A user on the Russian social media website Odnoklassniki posted photos of several receipts and an airline ticket with Mauricio Garcia’s name, and also listed a birthdate matching Garcia’s — who has been identified as the suspected shooter by police. A law enforcement source confirmed to CNN that investigators believe the account belonged to Garcia.

The account also posted a screenshot from Google Maps showing what times of day the mall in Allen, Texas, was busiest, a few weeks before the shooting.

In a rambling post from the day of the shooting – the account’s final correspondence – Garcia quoted from South Park and other movies and TV shows, and alluded to his struggles with undisclosed personal problems.

Garcia also posted photos of a man’s shirtless torso with a large swastika tattoo over the heart. It’s not clear whether the man pictured is Garcia.

The existence of the account was first reported by the New York Times, and it was later identified by a researcher with the open-source intelligence website Bellingcat.

Garcia self-identified in some posts as an “incel,” a term that the Anti-Defamation League defines as “heterosexual men who blame women and society for their lack of romantic success.” Some posts were sexist and expressed anger toward women.

Another post expressed anger toward family members who “mocked any attempt I made to be masculine…” and “told me I was disturbed…” Yet another described people making jokes or awkward comments about the poster’s likelihood of committing mass murder.

Other photos posted on Garcia’s account include various firearms, some of which, the user wrote, he acquired in recent months. There are also photos of a body armor vest with an RWDS patch – an acronym for Right-Wing Death Squad -- that authorities have said Garcia wore during the shooting.

In an April 24 post, Garcia praised the shooter in the Nashville school massacre that killed six people, including three children, the month before, referring to the number of people murdered. 

Other posts espoused antisemitism and echoed the “replacement theory,” the false notion that a conspiracy is underway to make the US population less White. Some gunmen motivated by racism said they were inspired by the theory.

Aishwarya Thatikonda, one of the eight people killed in the Texas mall shooting, graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2020 with a master's degree.

Thatikonda moved to the US about five years ago to pursue her Master's degree and was just a few days away from turning 28 when she was killed, CNN has previously reported.

She worked as an engineer, a family representative told CNN affiliate WFAA.

Multiple weapons owned by the Allen outlet mall shooting suspect, including the AR-15-style rifle used in the attack, were purchased legally, a law enforcement source told CNN.

Most of the weapons were purchased from private sellers, which is legal in Texas and means the suspect, Mauricio Garcia, did not go through a background check.

The shooter obtained his weapons “over time,” the source said, adding, “This was not an instance where he rushed to buy weapons prior to the attack.”

Garcia moved out of his family residence about two months ago and the family had not seen much of him since, according to the source.

The family has been cooperative with law enforcement and there is no indication that they knew about Garcia’s attack plans or propensity for violence.

A motive has not yet been identified by authorities, but they continue to look at the domestic extremism angle.

Law enforcement officials do not feel they have a “complete picture” of the suspect’s past and are continuing to dig into his background, the source added.

Mauricio Garcia, the man who opened fire at an Allen, Texas, outlet mall on Saturday, killing eight people and wounding several others, graduated from Bryan Adams High School in 2008, the Dallas Independent School District confirmed to CNN.

The school is roughly 8 miles from downtown Dallas and about 25 miles from the Allen Premium Outlets, where the massacre unfolded.

No official motive for the attack has yet been released.

The White House is once again calling for Congress to act on gun control after a mass shooting in Allen, Texas, over the weekend. 

“Today is Monday, May 8, that means it is the 128th day of 2023 and yesterday we witnessed the 201st mass shootings in this country this year," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday.

Jean-Pierre listed places where there have been mass shootings, including schools, shopping malls and churches. She said enacting gun control legislation is "about protecting our everyday life" as she called on Congress to take action.

The White House has implied in the past that President Joe Biden has reached the limit on how much he can act on gun control measures through executive order. 

Asked if the president had been briefed on reports that the shooter may have been motivated by right-wing extremism and white supremacist rhetoric, Jean-Pierre declined to weigh in on the specific case. 

“Broadly speaking, as it relates to the right-wing organization that he was connected to, or has been reported to be connected to, we have spoken out consistently about the concerning rise in hate-fueled violence in this country,” she said. “The president has talked about this in great length including in discussing how we need to restore the soul of this nation.”

Some context: Authorities have not announced a motive for why the gunman, 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, opened fire at Allen Premium Outlets. Garcia, who was killed at the scene by an Allen police officer who was on a nearby call, was wearing an insignia that authorities believe may be associated with extremist groups, a senior law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN.

Investigators have unearthed an extensive social media presence, including neo-Nazi and White supremacist-related posts and images that authorities believe Garcia shared online, according to the source.

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.