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On Saturday, May 6, 2023, a mass shooting in Allen, Texas, left nine people dead, including the perpetrator. The shooting reportedly occurred at approximately 3:36 pm, when the suspected gunman, 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, fired indiscriminately at the crowds outside of Allen Mall. Subsequently, the suspect was gunned down by a local officer.
Trigger warning: This article concerns a mass shooting. Reader's discretion is advised.
Upon searching the suspect's body, Texas authorities discovered that he was wearing a patch on his shirt that read, 'RWDS, or 'Right Wing Death Squad', a phrase that is reportedly used among neo-nazis and white supremacists to express their willingness to use violence.
The Daily Beast reported that it was popularised by a reddit page titled The Donald, which generally propagated right-wing memes. Authorities are now investigating whether or not the suspect had accomplices in the shooting.
Timeline of the Texas Mall massacre
On Saturday afternoon, suspect Mauricio Garcia allegedly drove his silver car to Allen Mall, before exiting the vehicle and firing at shoppers with an AR-15 style rifle.
He killed eight people and injured at least seven others.The Independent noted that he was equipped with multiple weapons and body armor, indicating that the attack may have been planned in advance. Witnesses at the scene of the Texas massacre also noted that Garcia had additional ammunition clips on his tactical vest.
Brian Harvey, The Chief of the Allen Police, said that the time of the Texas shooting, a police officer was in the mall for unrelated reasons. Upon hearing the gunshots, the officer exited the building and fatally shot Garcia, ending the killing spree.
After the shooting, officials raided the Dallas home where Garcia had lived with his parents for years. The suspect's family required a translator during the police interview. At the time of the attack, the suspect had been staying at a local motel. CBS noted that before the massacre, he was a security guard with no criminal history.
What are the right-wing links to the Texas mall massacre?
According to FBI records, Mauricio Garcia's social media profiles show that he made several posts about his support of right-wing ideologies. This notably included racist rhetoric, neo-nazi materials, and support for a white supremacist state.
As reported by the Daily Beast, the 'RWDS' patch worn by Mauricio Garcia has been used by members of right wing extremist groups, such as the Proud Boys. Most notably, during the riots at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, several suspected rioters could be seen wearing the symbol. However, Garcia had no known formal connections to any right-wing groups.
The case currently remains under investigation. The motive behind the shooting has not yet been confirmed.
