GRAPHICS

A deeper look at shopping mall shooting in Allen, Texas, second-deadliest in 2023

Federal authorities are investigating the background and motive of a gunman who killed eight people and wounded seven others after opening fire at an outdoor shopping mall Saturday in Allen, Texas.

Law enforcement is reviewing social media accounts they believe were used by the gunman, identified as Mauricio Garcia, 33, who was killed by a police officer. Social media posts expressed interest in white supremacist and neo-Nazi views, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

The shooting is this year's second-deadliest.

The gunman carried multiple weapons and had others in his car. His links to white supremacy reportedly included social media posts as well as a patch on his chest that read “RWDS,” an acronym for the phrase “Right Wing Death Squad,” which is popular among right-wing extremists and white supremacy groups.

Multiple media outlets, including WFAA-TV, reported Garcia had been in the U.S. Army in 2008 but was removed because of unspecified mental health concerns.

Here is what we know about Saturday's shooting. Times are local and approximate.

Saturday, May 6

3:34 p.m.

A man dressed in tactical gear opens fire outside the H&M store at Allen Premium Outlets, an outdoor shopping mall in Allen, Texas, about 25 miles north of Dallas.

3:40 p.m.

An Allen police officer, who was near the mall on an unrelated call, hears the gunfire and engages the shooter outside the Fatburger restaurant at the mall. The gunman is shot dead.

Witnesses later tell police that the shooter was dressed in black. Police say he acted alone.

4:22 p.m.

On Twitter, the Allen Police Department says law enforcement is investigating the mall shooting. It asks the public to avoid the area.

4:30 p.m.

On Twitter, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says personnel are responding to an active shooting.

6:06 p.m.

The Texas Department of Public Safety identifies the gunman as Mauricio Garcia, 33, of Dallas.

6:53 p.m.

Allen police announce that the mall has been secured and that nine victims were taken to local hospitals by the fire department.

Sunday, May 7

12:52 p.m.

Two of the nine injured died at area hospitals. Of the remaining seven injured, Allen police say four patients, one in fair condition and three in critical condition, were being treated at Medical City McKinney. Another was transferred to Medical City Plano, a Level I Trauma Center, and was listed in fair condition. One patient was transferred to Medical City Children’s Hospital and was in fair condition. Another was treated at a different area hospital.

Monday, May 8

Two of the eight victims have been identified:

Christian LaCour, 20, of Farmersville, Texas, a security guard at the mall.

Thatikonda Aishwarya Reddy, 27, of Hyderabad, India. She was a project engineer living in McKinney, Texas.

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CONTRIBUTING John Bacon, USA TODAY

SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Associated Press