Allen, Texas police officer cleared, body cam video shows him tracking down mass shooter
Allen Police released a body camera video Wednesday that shows a police officer tracking the sounds of gunfire to take down the gunman who killed eight people and wounded seven others outside the Allen Premium Outlets last month. The video's release comes after the officer was cleared of any wrongdoing this week by a Collin County grand jury.
The grand jury heard the use of force case on Monday and "no billed" the officer who fatally shot the gunman, saying his use of force was justified. Deadly use of force incidents are independently reviewed to ensure the action taken by the officer was in accordance with state law.
On May 6, a man armed with several weapons stopped his car in the south parking lot and opened fire on shoppers at the sprawling outdoor shopping center. Among those killed were three children, including two young sisters and a boy who died alongside his parents. Three other adults were killed, including a mall security guard who died helping shoppers move to safety.
An officer on duty at the mall was in the parking lot talking with a woman and her two children when they heard the first gunshots. The officer then tracked the sound of gunfire until he found and fatally shot the gunman.
Following the grand jury's decision, the Allen Police Department released the officer's body camera footage from that day. The video was edited to remove some language and blur the faces and bodies of civilians and victims.
“This video shows how quickly a routine interaction with the public turned into a life-and-death situation,” said Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey in a prepared statement. “The officer recognized the danger, ran toward the gunfire and neutralized the threat – and for his actions, the Allen community is forever grateful.”
In the video, which is embedded below, the officer can be heard laughing and casually talking to a woman and her children about wearing their seat belts as loud pops suddenly erupt in the background. The woman quickly lowered her head and moved her children out of the way as the officer reached inside his patrol vehicle for a rifle and notified dispatchers he'd heard gunshots.
Allen Police Department Body camera video from the Allen Police Department shows an officer track down and kill a mass shooter, May 6, 2023.
The officer then began running toward the mall, tracking the sounds of gunfire that were growing louder and louder.
As he continued moving toward the blasts, the officer yelled for people to leave the area and take cover.
About a minute and 40 seconds after the first shots were heard in the video, the officer reached the outside of the H&M where he encountered the first victims.
"I believe we've got a mass shooter. I've got a magazine on the ground. I'm passing injured," the officer, growing breathless, could be heard saying into his radio. "I'm moving as fast as I can to try to get over there."
About three minutes after the shooting began, the officer fired his first shots at the gunman. As the shooting subsided, the officer then continued to cautiously move toward the gunman while calling out to other officers arriving at the scene.
"I'm moving up on him ... watch your fire! I got him down," the officer said.
Five minutes after the shooting began, police at the scene confirmed they'd taken down the shooter.
Allen Police said they have requested a comprehensive and independent review of the incident by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to offer insight and best practices for future training and emergency response.
ALLEN POLICE RELEASE BODY CAMERA VIDEO
Warning: The video below is disturbing and a high level of discretion is recommended before viewing.
On May 31, the mall reopened to shoppers though the mall's more than 100 retailers each had the flexibility to set their own hours and resume business at their own pace. Mall officials, meanwhile, said they are moving forward with plans for a permanent memorial to honor the victims. Details about the memorial will be released at a later date.
Source: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
