A gunman killed eight people before being fatally shot by a police officer at a Dallas-area outlet mall on May 6. Mauricio Garcia, 33, reportedly worked as a security guard at the mall and opened fire during a busy Saturday shopping day at Allen Premium Outlets. The violent attack marked the 199th mass shooting in the United States in 2023 — that's just five months into the year.
As shots rang out, hundreds of shoppers fled the scene, trying to find a safe place to escape the attack. But the alleged gunman quickly claimed victims. While many waited for law enforcement to arrive, some civilians took matters into their own hands to try to save lives. The gruesome scene is one that survivors will not quickly forget.
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The shooting unfolded around 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
According to multiple sources, Garcia allegedly began shooting late in the afternoon in a crowded shopping area with more than 120 stores. The Associated Press reported the alleged gunman got out of a silver sedan in the mall parking lot and began to shoot, killing eight people and injuring seven. He was ultimately gunned down by a police officer who happened to be nearby at the time of the shooting.
A terrified mall employee called his dad.
While working at the H&M store at the mall, Freddie Jesus Spainhouer called his father, Steven Spainhouer, with terrifying news. "He said, 'Dad, we have a shooting … I'm pulling people into the break room, and we're going to lock the door,'" Spainhouer told CNN.
Steven Spainhouer, a former police officer and US Army veteran, rushed to the mall, arriving before law enforcement. He put his training into action, but sadly, the very first person he approached was a casualty.
"The first girl I walked up to … I felt for a pulse, pulled her head to the side, and she had no face," he said.
Tragically, he found another body soon afterward. This time, it was a mother who died shielding her young child. "When I rolled the mother over, he came out," Steven Spainhouer said. "He was covered from head to toe, like somebody had poured blood on him."
Who is Garcia?
Investigators are piecing together Garcia's story. NBC News reported that the gunman's social media accounts allegedly included posts with "racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist rhetoric, including neo-Nazi material and material espousing white supremacy," according to law enforcement officials.
The news outlet reported Garcia was armed with an AR-15 rifle and that he donned tactical gear during the attack. He also wore a patch on his chest the day of the massacre with the letters "rwds," which some believe represents the term "right wing death squad."
Investigators reportedly found multiple weapons and ammunition in his car and home following the deadly shooting.
Gun violence has killed thousands in 2023.
ABC News reported that as of May 1, according to The Gun Violence Archive, 13,959 Americans have died by gun violence in the US since January 1. That number continues to increase daily. Among the dead are 491 teens and 85 children.
This averages 115 deaths per day. The most recent mass shooting in Texas is the second there in just a week. Francisco Oropesa, 38, is accused of killing five neighbors after he was asked to stop shooting a rifle from his porch and disturbing a baby.
As the violence continues, President Joe Biden is imploring his cabinet for change.
"Once again I ask Congress to send me a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Enacting universal background checks. Requiring safe storage. Ending immunity for gun manufacturers," he urged in a statement. "I will sign it immediately. We need nothing less to keep our streets safe."
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Steven Spainhouer's life has been forever changed.
The dad told CBS News that being in this scenario is like nothing anyone could fathom.
"I never imagined in 100 years I would be thrust into the position of being the first first responder on the site to take care of people," he said.
Steven Spainhouer later posted on Facebook that his son is already in counseling and plans to seek help from a professional. He urged families to have difficult discussions because "You'll never know when the next tragic event will pop up."
He wrote that he does not consider himself a hero but a servant, instead calling attention to the work of the store employees, 911 operators, and the police officers. "I did my best to help the wounded, but the wounds were too much to treat and sadly, tragic. I'm still processing things."
