“Unspeakable Tragedy” – Gunman kills eight people in Texas shooting

A gunman killed eight people during a shopping spree in Texas. The crime took place on Saturday in Allen, a suburb of the city of Dallas. A police officer who was on the scene at the time shot the alleged perpetrator before more fatalities could occur, local authorities said at a press conference on Saturday evening (local time). Seven injured people are still being treated in hospital, three of them in critical condition.

According to the police, a police officer who was busy with something else at the time heard shots in the shopping complex on Saturday afternoon. The officer immediately intervened, caught the gunman and “turned him out”. Allen police chief Brian Harvey said he acted alone. The background to the crime was initially unclear.

Local fire chief Jonathan Boyd said rescuers initially found seven dead, including the gunman, when they arrived at the scene. Nine people were taken to hospital, two of whom died of their injuries. The remaining seven would still be treated. The authorities initially gave no further information about the dead and injured, nor about the perpetrator.

TV images showed people being led out of the large shopping complex. Eyewitnesses told CNN they heard dozens of shots and saw a black-clad man firing.

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott described the act as an “unspeakable tragedy” in a written statement. The White House said U.S. President Joe Biden was made aware of the incident. The government headquarters is in contact with law enforcement and local authorities to provide support.

Second case in a few days

The U.S. has been dealing with massive gun violence for a long time. Rampages and deadly shootings are part of everyday life. Such larger attacks – for example in schools, supermarkets, churches, nightclubs or at major public events – regularly lead to discussions about tightening gun laws. So far without any success. Firearms are readily available in the United States and widely distributed.

Biden has repeatedly called for stricter gun laws and has tightened certain rules slightly during his tenure. However, without substantial legislative changes, experts see no chance of real change. To push this through, however, Biden and his Democrats would have to rely on the willingness of Republicans in Congress to cooperate — and that’s not in sight at this point.

A few days ago, there was also a sensational case of brutal gun violence in Texas: a 38-year-old shot and killed five neighbors, including a child, in a small town near Houston. The neighbors had previously asked him to stop darting around his front yard so their baby could sleep. A little later, instead of calming down, the drunk man approached him with a gun and committed the massacre. (sda/dpa)