Texas mall shooting – gunman possible links to Far-right

Federal authorities are investigating whether the gunman who killed eight people, including children, at a Dallas shopping mall had far-right links. The attacker, identified as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, was shot dead at the scene by a police officer. Investigators are reviewing his social media to examine his ideology, and one line of inquiry is whether he was motivated by right-wing extremist and white supremacy groups. During the attack, Garcia wore a clothing patch with the letters RWDS, which stands for “Right Wing Death Squad”. He used an AR-15-style rifle and wore combat gear during the shooting, with multiple rounds of ammunition found on him. 

Witnesses described scenes of panic and horror when the gunman exited his car in a mall parking lot and began firing on shoppers. Six people died at the scene, while two died later in hospital. At least three injured victims remained in critical condition. 

President Joe Biden called once again on his political opponents in the Republican party to support tougher gun control. The Republican governor of Texas, Gregg Abbott, said his aim was to target the possession of weapons by criminals and deal with a rising mental health crisis, rather than consider wider bans. Garcia reportedly worked as a security guard at the time of the shooting and did not have a serious criminal record.