The Plano Independent School District extended support to the City of Allen after a mass shooting at an outlet mall killed eight people. | Gianna Bonello/Unsplash
The Plano Independent School District extended support to the City of Allen after a mass shooting at an outlet mall killed eight people. | Gianna Bonello/Unsplash
A Metroplex public school district extended support to the City of Allen on Sunday after an outlet mall shooting claimed the lives of eight people and wounded seven the day before.
The Plano Independent School District (PISD) said in a statement it’s “deeply saddened” by the incident.
“Our hearts go out to all those affected by this act of violence right here in our community,” the district said. “We know that events like this can be difficult for our students to process and understand.”
PISD didn’t say whether any of its students and staff were at Allen Premium Outlets at the time of the shooting, but said counseling is available to anyone who may need it.
“If your child needs support processing what happened, please reach out to your campus and request a conference with a counselor,” the district said in the statement. “We know that words cannot heal the pain and suffering caused by this tragedy, but we want to express our deepest condolences and solidarity. We stand with our neighbors in Allen and our entire North Texas community during this difficult time and will continue to keep them in our thoughts.”
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) NBC affiliate KXAS reported that Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said six people died at the mall, while two succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
The suspected shooter perished as well, bringing the death toll as of Sunday to nine, the station reported.
CBS News reported that the Wylie Independent School District (WISD) confirmed on Monday two of its elementary school students were among those killed.
Citing the Mass Shooter Tracker website, the national media outlet reported that Allen registered as the 242nd mass shooting in the U.S.
It occurred more than a week after a man in Cleveland in San Jacinto County purportedly gunned down five people – including a 9-year-old boy – at a home next to his after he was told to stop firing his weapon.
Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement issued by the Office of the Texas Governor what transpired at the North Texas shopping center was “an unspeakable tragedy.”
“Our hearts are with the people of Allen, Texas,” Abbott, a Republican, said in the release.
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