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Police in Texas shot and killed the driver of a pickup truck who rammed his vehicle through the front entrance of a JCPenney store at a shopping mall, injuring five people.
The incident went down on Saturday evening on the busy weekend before Christmas in Killeen, a city around 70 miles north of Austin, when a police pursuit ended in tragedy after the suspect plowed through the glass doors of the popular retail outlet and continued to drive into the mall before the threat was eliminated by officers.
(Video: YouTube/KWTX)
Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Bryan Washko said that the truck was driven “several hundred yards” through the store’s entrance, speaking to reporters at a Saturday news conference.
Two off-duty police officers were were shopping with their families were among law enforcement personnel who opened fire to neutralize the threat.
“We had DPS, the Killeen Police Department and three other local agencies, officers that were off duty that were in the Killeen Mall that neutralized the suspect and kept him from harming or possibly killing any more people,” Washko said.
“Sgt. Washko with the Department of Pubic Safety advised that a call came in about an erratic driver in a black pickup truck in Temple. A DPS Trooper located the pickup truck traveling westbound on I-14 and a pursuit ensued. The suspect then drove through the JCPenney south entrance at the Killeen Mall, injuring 5 people. They were all transported to local hospitals. The threat was stopped inside the mall by several officers. The male suspect is deceased,” the Killeen Police Department said on Facebook.
“Please be advised, that this was not an active shooter,” the KPD added. “The Texas Rangers will be conducting an investigation and DPS will be the lead agency on this incident.”
“There’s people in here shopping for their families, their children, their friends, loved ones, and these kinds of things we don’t like to see, obviously, and we pray for their recovery,” Washko said.
(Video: YouTube/KWTX)
Nathan Carrasco who was in his car in the mall’s parking lot with friends told CNN that they witnessed the truck plow into JCPenney and run people over.
“There were people lying on the floor with glass everywhere,” he said.
Witnesses Rose and Will Parker explained that they were near the coffee shop close to the store when they heard shots and saw people who were running.
“I grabbed my wife, and we went into the coffee shop. We locked up in a back room,” Will Parker told CNN.
“It was a mess,” Parker added. “I’m thankful to the gentleman, the security guy, that helped us out.”
“We don’t know who this guy is,” Washko said of the driver. “We don’t know what he’s going through. We don’t know if there’s something going on that this was an intentional act or he’s just out of desperation because he was being pursued. Those things are going to come out in the investigation with the Rangers.”
“Our city has experienced a profoundly troubling incident that has shaken our community,” Killeen Mayor Debbie Nash-King said. “My heart goes out to those injured during the tragic events at the Killeen Mall, and my thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.”
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