After mall shooting, residents of the Dallas suburb are experiencing familiar rituals: mourning, anger and despair.
Allen Mall Shooting
A gunman killed eight people and wounded at least seven others at the Allen Premium Outlets on May 6, 2023. It was the ninth mass shooting in Texas in 14 years. In the aftermath, Republican Texas leaders suggested mental health was the root cause, though investigators gave no indication it played a role.
After Allen shooting, Texas Republican leaders downplay guns, focus on mental health
President Joe Biden confirmed Sunday that the gunman used an AR-15 in the attack.
The Allen mall shooter used an AR-15-style rifle. Read our March story on the gun’s use in mass shootings.
The gun was also used in the Uvalde shooting, where law enforcement records show police were afraid to confront the gunman because of the weapon’s firepower.
Gunman in Allen mall shooting may have had right-wing extremist beliefs
The shooter wore a patch that said, “RWDS,” an acronym for Right Wing Death Squad, according to people familiar with the investigation. The phrase is popular among right-wing extremists, neo-Nazis and white supremacists, they said.
Gunman kills 8 people at a North Texas outlet mall
The shooter was also killed by a police officer after he opened fire in Allen. Gov. Greg Abbott called the shooting “an unspeakable tragedy.”


