A police officer’s body cam footage has revealed the courageous and heroic actions of a cop who confronted a gunman at a mall in Allen, Texas.
On May 6, a gunman, identified as Mauricio Garcia, 33, unleashed a hail of bullets on unsuspecting shoppers, resulting in the deaths of eight people, including three children, and the injuring of seven. The chilling footage captures the initial chaos as the officer fearlessly charges toward the danger, risking his own safety in an attempt to neutralize the threat.
The video shows the officer firing at Garcia from behind a pillar, while the deafening sound of gunshots and blaring sirens fills the air. As bullet casings from his gun scatter on the ground, the officer communicates with backup teams, updating them on the situation and exclaiming, “I’ve got him down.” He repeatedly urges Garcia to drop his weapon and warns bystanders to stay away from the scene.
Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey, commenting on the newly released footage, commended the officer’s swift response in this life-and-death situation. He emphasized the officer’s awareness of the imminent danger and his brave efforts to protect the community. The police department decided to release the footage after a grand jury ruled that the use of deadly force was justified under Texas law in this particular instance.
The cop, whose identity remains undisclosed, shot and killed Garcia after the assailant had already claimed several civilian lives. The horrifying event led to a stampede of shoppers fleeing the mall as security and police attempted to ensure their safety. Inside the store, people were escorted into secure rooms, emerging later to discover broken windows, bloodstains, and covered bodies.
The victims of the incident included young children, identified as fourth-grader Daniela Mendoza and second-grader Sofia Mendoza, along with Kyu and Cindy Cho and their three-year-old son James. Engineer Aishwarya Thatikonda, security guard Christian Lacour, and Elio Cumana-Rivas also tragically lost their lives in the massacre.
It has since been revealed that the gunman allegedly was a neo-Nazi and white supremacist, based on photos and posts on his social media accounts, and that he had planned his bloodbath weeks before he carried it out.
Garcia, dressed in SWAT gear, was killed outside an H&M store at the mall.