- Police responded to a mass shooting at Allen Premium Outlets just outside of Dallas, Texas.
- Allen Fire Department chief confirmed 9 dead while 7 others are treated at the hospital.
- A sheriff also confirmed to WFAA-TV that the suspected shooter is dead.
Nine people were killed after a mass shooting at an outlet mall near the Dallas area on Saturday, according to authorities.
In an evening press conference, Allen Fire Department Chief Jonathan Boyd said seven people were found dead at the scene, while two others died after they were transported to local hospitals. Seven people are still hospitalized, with three in “critical surgery,” he said.
Calls about shots being fired came in about 3:40 p.m. from the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas, a suburb about 25 miles north of downtown Dallas with roughly 105,000 residents.
WFAA-TV reported that a Collin County Sheriff said the shooter was dead.
A video shared on social media showed people running through a parking lot while gunfire could be heard.
One unidentified employee at the mall told WFAA that the suspected shooter was indiscriminately shooting his gun from outside.
“He was just shooting his gun everywhere, for the most part,” the employee said.
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More than 30 police cruisers with lights flashing were blocking an entrance to the mall, with multiple ambulances on the scene. A live aerial broadcast from the news station showed armored trucks and other law enforcement vehicles stationed outside the sprawling outdoor mall. Ambulances from several neighboring cities responded to the scene.
The Dallas office of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives also responded.
Allen Police Department Chief Brian Harvey said in a news conference that authorities believe the shooter acted alone.
In a statement, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he has reached out to Allen Mayor Ken Fulk and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw in light of the shooting.
“Our hearts are with the people of Allen, Texas, tonight during this unspeakable tragedy,” he said. “I have been in contact with Mayor Fulk and DPS Director McCraw as well as other state and local leaders and offered the full support of the State of Texas to local officials to ensure all needed assistance and resources are swiftly deployed, including DPS officers, Texas Rangers, and investigative resources.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for more updates.
