Our live coverage of the Allen, Texas, mall shooting has moved here.
May 6, 2023 Texas mall shooting news
By Matt Meyer, Tori B. Powell, Adrienne Vogt, Zoe Sottile and Andrew Raine, CNN
Updated 9:53 a.m. ET, May 7, 2023
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'Special place in hell' for people who block gun control measures, state senator says
From CNN’s Josh Campbell
Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat whose district encompasses Uvalde, blasted politicians who refuse to enact meaningful reform measures in the wake of Saturday's massacre in Allen.
“There is a special place in hell for people who watch all this happen and choose to do nothing,” Gutierrez tweeted, along with the hashtag: #bloodontheirhands.
Uvalde, a city roughly 75 miles west of downtown San Antonio, is where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school last May.
Photo appears to show gunman's AR-15 style weapon, body armor, and extra magazines
From CNN’s Ashley Killough in Allen, TX and Keith Allen in Atlanta
CNN has obtained a photo of what appears to be the gunman in Saturday's shooting in Allen, Texas, lying on the ground with what appears to be a police officer standing over him.
In the photo, the shooter appears to be wearing body armor, with several extra magazines on the chest gear and an AR-15 style weapon nearby.
The photo appears to have been taken outside a restaurant at the mall.
CNN is not showing the officer or the gunman’s face due to the graphic nature of the photo. It is showing only the weapon, the body armor and the magazines.
The suspected gunman, who has not been publicly identified, was shot and killed by a police officer who was responding to an unrelated call at the mall. The shooter is thought to have acted alone, according to officials.
Texas has loosened gun laws in recent years
From CNN's Emma Tucker
Texas has loosened restrictions on gun ownership in recent years amid several high-profile mass shootings that have devastated its communities.
Recent shootings include an incident in Uvalde, where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school last May.
In 2021, legislation went into effect allowing most Texans who legally own a firearm to carry it openly in public without obtaining a permit or training.
A 2022 study found that states with weaker gun laws have higher rates of gun deaths, including homicides and suicides.
Ted Cruz: "Heidi and I are praying for the families of the victims"
From CNN's Chloe Liu
Texas Senator Ted Cruz expressed his condolences for the victims of the mall shooting in a tweet on Saturday evening.
In a subsequent tweet, he added that his team was in contact with local officials.
He also thanked "the incredible law enforcement who put a stop to the monster who committed this act of evil."
Congressman: Community owes “debt of gratitude” to first responders in Allen mall shooting
From CNN's Andy Rose
The congressman whose district includes Allen, Texas, says the mall shooting that killed eight victims could have been worse if not for the quick response to the gunfire.
“We will never know how many lives were saved by the swift actions of our first responders,” Representative Keith Self (R) said in a news conference Saturday night.
Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey said a member of his force who happened to already be on duty at the mall when the shooting broke out had killed the gunman. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the first responders that ran toward the gunfire and acted swiftly to neutralize the threat,” Self said.
Officials identified neither the shooter nor any of the victims Saturday night. Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said three people remain in critical condition.
“We're angry about those that would do evil in our community and in our backyard,” Collin County Judge Chris Hill said at the conference.
Vigil for the victims to be held at 5 p.m. Sunday
A vigil for the victims of the shooting will be held at 5 p.m. central time on Sunday, according to state representative Jeff Leach.
The vigil will be held at the Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church in Allen.
"Tomorrow will be a great night of healing, a much needed night of healing and hope," Leach said at a press conference on Saturday.
An officer on an unrelated call responded to the scene and killed the shooter
A police officer who was at the mall on an unrelated call heard the shooting and immediately responded, killing the gunman, according to officials.
Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey said at a Saturday evening press conference that the officer was attending to another call at the Allen Premium Outlets when the deadly attack began.
"He heard gunshots, located the gunshots, located the shooter, neutralized the shooter," Harvey said.
Police have not named the alleged shooter.
Authorities believe gunman acted alone
Authorities believe the gunman who killed eight and left several others injured was acting alone, according to a Saturday evening press conference. The gunman was shot and killed by police at the scene.
Brian Harvey, chief of police for the Allen Police Department, said:
“We believe at this point that the shooter acted alone. We are asking for the public’s help. If you are a witness, if you have video, call 1-800-FBI. This is an ongoing, active investigation.”