The Texas mall shooter received training from the US Army in 2008 before being terminated for an unspecified mental health issue.
Mauricio Garcia, 33, entered the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas, and opened fire, killing eight people and injuring at least seven more on Saturday. An Army spokesman confirmed to US media that Garcia was enlisted in the Army for three months but was terminated during his initial training.
A source speaking on the condition of anonymity said he was terminated due to an unspecified mental health issue.
A motive for Garcia’s shooting has not been released by authorities yet. Officials are looking into whether the deceased gunman, who is of Hispanic descent, held white supremacist views.
Garcia had a patch on the jacket he wore during the shooting that read “RWDS” an abbreviation for “Right Wing Death Squad.” Authorities are still trying to determine if Garcia’s attack should be considered a hate crime.
The attack came less than two weeks after a Texas resident killed five of his neighbors with an AR-15-style rifle. The back-to-back incidents have renewed calls for gun control reform in Texas, which has some of the loosest gun laws in the country.
New Texas Law Raises Concerns After Allowing Guns to Be Carried in Public Without Permit or Training
3 September 2021, 01:33 GMT
On Monday, the families of victims of the deadly Uvalde elementary school shooting in 2022 packed the Texas State House, demanding lawmakers raise the age requirements to purchase a gun from 18 to 21. The House committee voted that same day to bring the bill to the floor, drawing cheers from the crowd.
However, the bill still faces an uphill battle to become law. Both chambers of Texas’ legislature are held by Republicans and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, also a Republican, has been steadfast in his opposition to increased gun control legislation.