A police officer who shot dead a Texas mall shooter made a frantic call for backup just moments before taking down the gunman who killed eight, including children, and injured at least seven.
33-year-old Mauricio Garcia opened fire outside an H&M at Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas, on Saturday, May 6. Hundreds of shoppers tried to flee the scene after shots broke out as the gunman opened fire with an AR-15 style gun at around 3.30pm local time.
Now, dramatic audio of a frantic call made by a police officer on the internal police radio has been released, with the cop saying he "needed everybody I got".
The officer was nearby on an unrelated call and rushed over as soon as he heard the gunshots. He radioed his colleagues saying: "I need everybody I got" before running toward the active shooter.
By this point, the shooter was armed with around 60 rounds and had already shot more than a dozen people, but that didn't stop the officer running toward the dangerous man and neutralising him. Just two minutes after frantically asking for backup, the officer radioed again, saying: "I got him down."
Minutes later, another voice is heard on the radio saying: "We got victims. I need an ambulance."
Aerial footage from local news outlets has shown the devastating scene at the parking lot as the dead, including children, were covered in sheets. Medical City Healthcare spokesperson Janet St James, said their trauma facilities received eight patients between the age of 5 and 61 following the shooting.
Federal agents have been reviewing social media accounts believed to belong to Garcia with posts which express an interest in white supremacy and express neo-Nazi views, according to an anonymous official. When he carried out the shooting he was also wearing clothing with a patch on his chest reading 'RWDS', an acronym for 'Right Wing Death Squad' which is popular among right-wing extremists.
The official also said police found multiple weapons at the scene after Garcia was killed, including an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun. Investigators have also been searching a Dallas motel near an interstate where Garcia had been staying.
In a statement on the shooting, President Joe Biden described how the attacker wore tactical gear and was using a semi-automatic weapon. He urged Congress to tighten restrictions on firearms and ammunition and ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff.
"Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar. And yet, American communities have suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts," he said.
He went on to say that Republicans in Congress "cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug".
Authorities have not yet publicly identified those who were killed in the mall shooting. Three of those injured remain in a critical condition and four in a 'fair' condition, according to the Allen Police Department.
Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, posted a statement saying: "The hearts of all Texans are with Allen, Texas. Tonight, I joined my fellow Texans in Allen for a community vigil for the innocent lives lost last night and those who are recovering from injuries.
"As this community heals, Texas will be with you every step of the way."
Steven Spainhouer was one of the first people at the scene, and shared his harrowing account of coming across the dead and wounded. He spoke of finding a girl crouched in the bushes, feeling for a pulse before turning her head and realising she had "no face".
He also found the body of a brave mother, who had used herself to shield her son, taking a hail of bullets for him. "When I rolled the mother over, he [the boy] came out. I asked him if he was OK and he said, 'My mom is hurt, my mom is hurt'." he said.
"So rather than traumatise him, I pulled him around the corner sat him down and he was covered from head to toe...like somebody poured blood on him."
