What We Know About The Alleged Texas Mall Shooter

Topline

Authorities have identified the gunman who killed at least eight people and injured several others at a Dallas-area outlet mall before being shot dead by police as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, whose white supremacist sympathies are now being examined by Federal investigators as they attempt to understand the motive behind the incident.

People hug as they visit the memorial next to the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas.

Getty Images

Key Facts

Garcia, who is believed to have acted alone, was in possession of an AR-15-style assault rifle, a handgun and was wearing a tactical vest at the time of the shootout, police said.

According to the Associated Press, the gunman was wearing a patch on his chest with the letters “RWDS,” an acronym for “Right Wing Death Squad,” used by many far-right groups, including the Proud Boys.

After investigating Garcia’s social media accounts, the FBI found hundreds of posts and images expressing white supremacist and neo-Nazi views, Rolling Stone reported.

ABC’s local affiliate WFAA reported that Garcia had served in the U.S. Army in 2009 but was discharged over “mental health concerns.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, investigators recovered more firearms from a hotel room where Garcia had been residing prior to the shooting.

Garcia worked as a private security guard from 2016 to 2020 and completed his firearm proficiency training in 2018, the Daily Beast reported, citing Texas Department of Public Safety data.

What To Watch For

Garcia’s alleged white supremacist views have reportedly prompted federal authorities to examine if the shooting was an act of domestic terrorism.

Key Background

The shooting took place on Saturday afternoon at the Allen Premium Outlets mall, located 25 miles north of Dallas. The gunman killed eight people and injured at least seven others before being shot dead by a police officer who was present at the mall in response to an unrelated incident. Six of the injured victims are still in hospital, three of whom are in critical condition, NBC News reported, citing Medical City Healthcare. The hospital previously said it was treating victims between the ages of 5 and 61. The massacre near Dallas is the second mass shooting to take place in Texas in just two weeks, after a gunman killed five of his neighbors in Cleveland, Texas. Police have since apprehended the suspected shooter, 38-year-old Francisco Oropesa.

Big Number

201. That is the number of mass shootings that have taken place across the U.S. since the start of this year, according to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive. This is the fastest pace that the non-profit has recorded 200 such incidents compared to any prior year.

Crucial Quote

“Republican Members of Congress cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug. Tweeted thoughts and prayers are not enough. Once again I ask Congress to send me a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Enacting universal background checks. Requiring safe storage. Ending immunity for gun manufacturers. I will sign it immediately,” President Joe Biden said in a statement following the deadly massacre.