Police release bodycam footage from deadly Allen, Texas mall shooting
By Carl Samson
Police in Allen, Texas, have released a body camera video from the recent mass shooting at a local mall that killed eight people.
Details of the incident: The mass shooting occurred at Allen Premium Outlets in the 800 block of West Stacy Road near U.S. Highway 75 just after 3:30 p.m. on May 6.
Released 911 recordings revealed that the gunman, identified as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, started at an H&M store before heading north in a shooting spree that spanned roughly 300 yards. One witness reported seeing the gunman in front of Perry Ellis, while another called about a victim at Francesca’s. A man also begged for an ambulance to save his wife who was shot.
What the bodycam footage shows: The new video shows the moment an officer who was on another call in the parking lot began to hear gunshots while reminding a pair of children to use seatbelts. He immediately contacted others, grabbed his gun and headed toward the direction of the gunshots. Along the way, he came across people screaming and fleeing the mall. After several minutes of running, the panting officer located Garcia and fatally shot him.
Warning: The video below contains graphic images that may be disturbing to some. Viewer discretion is advised.
Use of force justified: The video’s release came after the officer — who is not being identified — was cleared of any wrongdoing by a Collin County grand jury on Monday. The jury deemed his use of force justified.
“This video shows how quickly a routine interaction with the public turned into a life-and-death situation,” Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey said in a statement. “The officer recognized the danger, ran toward the gunfire and neutralized the threat – and for his actions, the Allen community is forever grateful.”
The victims: The shooting left eight victims dead, four of whom were of Asian descent. They included a Korean American family – Kyu, Cindy and James Cho – and an Indian engineer, Aishwarya Thatikonda.
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