The man accused of killing eight and injuring seven others at an outdoor mall in Texas had researched the busiest day to carry out his brutal massacre.
Mauricio Garcia, 33, of Dallas, had posted photos on social media in mid-April of a store at the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas, near where he shot and killed unsuspecting shoppers in broad daylight on May 6. Allen is about 25 miles north of Dallas, in Collin County.
About the Gunman
Authorities have not officially said what they believe motivated the killer, but information on social media sites, his attire on the day of the attack, and his short-lived military history have provided insight into possible motivations.Investigators have also interviewed family members and associates of Garcia to learn about his ideological beliefs. His financial records and other electronic media are also being reviewed.
Garcia joined the U.S. Army in 2008 but was terminated three months later before completing his basic training, Army spokeswoman Heather J. Hagan told AP.
The cause of his termination is not immediately clear.
Garcia received an “uncharacterized discharge,” which is an entry-level separation “given to individuals who separate prior to completing 180 days of military service or when discharge action was initiated 180 days of service.”
This type of discharge would not set off red flags or require reports to law enforcement.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the U.S. Army for comment.
Until recently, Garcia had lived at his family’s home in Dallas. At the time of the incident, he was living at an extended-stay motel in Dallas.
Who are the Victims
Daniela Mendoza, 11, and her sister Sodia Mendoza, 8, of Sachse, Texas, were killed in the attack. Their mother was also injured.James Cho, 3, and his parents Kyu Song Cho, 37, and Cyndi Cho, 35, were also killed. The couple’s six-year-old son was also injured. The family lived in Dallas.
Christian LaCour, 20, of Farmersville, Texas, was working as a security guard at the mall when he was gunned down.
Aishwarya Thatikonda, 27, of Hyderabad, India, and a project manager for a company in Frisco, Texas, was killed.
Elio Cuman-Rivas, 32, of Dallas was also killed. No further information on Cumana-Rivas was immediately available.
Update on Surviving Shooting Victims
On Tuesday, six patients remained hospitalized in area hospitals, Medical City Healthcare wrote in a statement to The Epoch Times.“Medical City Healthcare continues to treat six patients at three hospitals from the Allen Premium Outlets shooting, with two patients showing improvement overnight,” the statement read.
Four patients are being treated at Medical City McKinney. One patient remains in critical condition. One patient is in serious condition, one is in fair condition, and another is in good condition.
A fifth patient remains in fair condition at Medical City Plano.
The sixth patient is in good condition at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas.
Community Erects Memorial
The North Texas community has created a massive memorial with large crosses, flowers, stuffed animals, and letters outside the Allen Premium Outlets entrance.Some community organizations, such as Minnie’s Food Pantry and Urban Specialists, have also stepped in to pray and support mourners visiting the memorial site.
“Everyone has pitched in and come together, so it’s just one extended family because Collin County has always been a very tight-knit group of generations of families who know and support each other,” Minnie’s Food Pantry Community Relations Manager Robert Jackson told The Epoch Times.
Jackson and his mother, Cheryl Jackson, founder of Minnie’s Food Pantry, have spent numerous hours at the memorial praying, painting crosses, and hugging those who visit. Minnie’s is a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Collin County that has served over 15 million meals to families in three states since it opened its doors in 2008.
“We just wanted to make an impact on one family’s life, and that’s the same reason why we’re here—it’s to make an impact on these families’ lives,” Jackson said while his mother was busy helping arrange flowers and tying ribbons on the crosses erected for each of the lives lost.
Ojei Hillary told The Epoch Times he was walking out of the Nike store to go to his car when he heard the gunshots.
A pregnant woman nearby began yelling “active shooter” and to get down, Hillary said, adding that the gunfire was “so intense.” Since that day, he said he’s had difficulty sleeping because he keeps recalling what happened.
“It was really terrible,” Hillary said.
LaMontria Edwards, director of engagement of Urban Specialities, was also on-hand Monday afternoon. She and others from the 501(c)3 organization spent the afternoon sharing prayers and offering comfort to community members who stopped to pay their respects to the victims. The Dallas-based organization is focused on social change and eradicating senseless violence, according to the group’s website.
“Violence is one of our core focus areas, so when we heard about what was going on here in Allen, it was instinctive for us to come here and serve those people and those individuals,” Edwards told The Epoch Times. “So we came out here, and we just led wherever the spirit told us to—every individual that he called us to pray for or to be with.”
