Eastern Michigan Alumna Among Victims Killed In Texas Mall Shooting

ALLEN, TX — An Eastern Michigan University alumna was among those killed when a gunman opened fire outside a Texas shopping mall over the weekend, the university said.

Aishwarya Thatikonda, 26, was one of eight people killed eight people killed in a Saturday shooting outside a shopping mall in Allen, Texas, officials said.

Thatikonda graduated from the university in December 2020 with a master of science degree in construction management, university officials said. She was working as a civil engineer for the Dallas-area construction firm Perfect General Contractors.

Company founder Srinivas Chaluvadi told KXAS-TV in Fort Worth, Texas that Thatikonda was originally from India and wanted to buy a house and raise a family in North Texas.

"She's a lot more than an employee. No less than a daughter," Chaluvadi told the news station.

Eastern Michigan University released a public statement Monday saying it is deeply saddened by Thatikonda's death.

"As the nation has to once again grapple with a senseless act of gun violence, we share our condolences with Aishwarya's family and friends. She will forever be remembered as a strong Eastern Michigan University Eagle."

Officials said 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia stepped out of a car outside a shopping mall Saturday in Allen, Texas and fired dozens of shots from an assault rifle into crowds of people, killing eight and wounded seven others.

The victims killed in the shooting included, five adults between the ages of 21 and 40 and three children under the age of 10, officials said.

Officials have not determined a motive behind the gunman's attack, but believe he was fascinated with white supremacy.