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Victims remembered one week after Allen mass shooting
A moment of silence was held Saturday afternoon, one week — to the minute — since a gunman took the lives of eight people and injured seven others in a mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets.
ALLEN, Texas - A moment of silence was held Saturday afternoon, one week — to the minute — since a gunman took the lives of eight people and injured seven others in a mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets.
"For all of us, it’s still surreal," Inga Van Wagoner said.
Van Wagoner is among many who have said it’s terrifying how common mass shootings are becoming.
"And now it’s happened in our town," she added.
The city of Allen called for a citywide moment of silence at 3:36 p.m.
"And I just thought to myself, that could’ve been me had his plans changed," Cheryl Jackson recalled.
Jackson, like many others, still cannot fathom why Mauricio Garcia would take innocent lives.
Texas DPS said Garcia had neo-Nazi ideation.
The FBI is examining Garcia’s electronic devices and more.
Allen Outlets shooting suspect had Nazi tattoos, all guns purchased legally, Texas DPS says
The Texas Department of Public Safety says 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, the man they say is responsible for the shooting that killed 8 people at the Allen Premium Outlets, had neo-Nazi ideation, including Nazi tattoos and patches.
The Associated Press reports Garcia’s social media posts suggest he planned the attack weeks in advance and researched when the shopping center would be the busiest.
Jackson, who runs a food pantry, said she was in Allen Saturday to comfort others and help make sure the memorial is kept clean.
"We didn’t have the answers, we just had the shoulders," Jackson said.
Eventually, items from the memorial will be turned over to family members of victims.
Allen Premium Outlets Shooting: Memorial to be sent to victims' families
The memorial outside the Allen Premium Outlets that was set up for the victims of the mass shooting there will remain through the weekend, before it's broken down and sent to victims' families.
Saturday’s gathering was an opportunity to process pain and to remember, Cindy Cho, Kyu Cho, and James Cho, Daniela and Sofia Mendoza, Aishwarya Thatikonda, Christian LaCour, and Elio Cumana-Rivas.