“Multiple fatalities reported in shooting at Allen shopping center near Dallas”

Several people have been killed in a shooting at a shopping center in the American city of Allen, near Dallas. It is not known how many victims there are.

The suspected shooter was shot dead by officers, local police said. A possible second suspect was searched for some time, but the police now say that the gunman who was shot probably acted alone.

The shooting occurred around 3:30 p.m. local time, when the Allen Premium Outlets mall, Texas, was very busy. Video footage from local news channels shows visitors fleeing the mall, urged on by police officers. One of the visitors tells Fox News: “All of a sudden we all heard explosions, and we saw sparks as if it were happening right in front of us.” She says she was able to quickly take cover in a store.

Other eyewitnesses describe a gunman walking around shooting at people dressed in tactical gear: protective clothing designed for military and police, such as a bulletproof vest.

There have been 198 mass shootings in the US this year, according to an overview by the organization Gun Violence Archive. That is the highest number since 2016. A ‘mass shooting’, in their definition, is a shooting in which at least four people become victims, not including the perpetrator.