Federal agents are probing whether the Texas mall shooter who killed eight people Saturday afternoon held neo-Nazi views, according to a law enforcement official.
The feds are scanning the gunman Mauricio Garcia’s reported social media accounts which spouted off white supremacist and neo-Nazi views as they attempt to figure out a motive for the massacre, the official told The Associated Press Sunday.
During the twisted shooting, Garcia, 33, also wore a patch on his chest with the acronym “RWDS” which stands for “Right Wing Death Squad” – a popular phrase among white-supremacy groups, according to the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Authorities have interviewed relatives and associates of Garcia, who was shot and killed by police at the mall, about his ideological beliefs, the official said.
Investigators are looking at his financial records and online posts they believe Garcia made as well.
The investigation is still in the early stages, the official warned.
State authorities believe the shooter was also an “incel,” according to an internal email passed around by Texas law enforcement, Rolling Stone reported.
The outlet also reported that Garcia was discharged from the military in 2008 over “mental health concerns,” according to an FBI bulletin.
What we know about Texas mall shooter Mauricio Garcia
The gunman who killed eight people and injured seven others before being shot dead by police at a Texas outlet mall has been identified as Mauricio Garcia, 33.
A look into Garcia’s past revealed:
- He served in the Army in 2008 but was eventually “removed due to mental health concerns,” law enforcement sources told local ABC 30.
- Garcia had undergone several firearms proficiency courses in 2015 and 2018 as part of his security guard work
- Investigators began probing whether Garcia held neo-Nazi views after police found a patch on his chest with the acronym “RWDS,” which stands for “Right Wing Death Squad”
- Garcia also appeared to be casing his target for weeks. He shared more than two dozen photos of the outlets on extremist forums in the weeks leading up to his mass shooting, seemingly determining what would be the most packed time at the mall to unleash the greatest carnage, NBC said.
- The mass shooter alluded to his declining mental health, too. One of his final posts lamented that no psychologist would be able to fix him and his fears of what his family might say about him.
READ MORE
A day after the mass shooting, Garcia was identified by the Texas Department of Public Safety as the person who opened fire inside Allen Premium Outlets, killing eight victims. Seven others, who ranged in age from 5 to 61, were wounded in the hail of bullets.
Multiple weapons were found at the scene, including an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun, officials said.
Authorities are searching a nearby motel where Garcia stayed and a Dallas-area home that he had ties to, two officials said.
Garcia shared the home with his parents and he had booked an extended stay at the motel, according to a local WFAA report, citing law enforcement sources.
Officials have not disclosed the names of the slain victims, though relatives of mall security guard Christian LaCour revealed he was killed during the shooting.
Family members also confirmed engineer Aishwarya Thatikonda was shot dead while shopping with a friend.
The wounded victims remained in the hospital Sunday with three in critical condition and four in fair condition, the Allen Police Department said.
With Post wires
