Authorities in the southern US state of Texas said eight people were killed and several others wounded in a shooting at an outlet mall in a suburb of Dallas on Saturday.

Seven people are still in the hospital being treated for their injuries, three of them are in critical condition while the others are stable.

What we know so far

The shooting took place at the Allen Premium Outlets mall located in the city of Allen, located around 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Dallas. The shooting began around 3:35 p.m. (2030 UTC).

Earlier, the Allen Police Department said that "nine victims" were transported to local hospitals. They later said that two of the wounded died of their injuries.

The suspected shooter was killed by a police officer at the scene, according to the Allen Police Department.

A police officer heard gunshots at the outlet mall and "engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat," the police department said.

At a media briefing on Saturday evening, local authorities did not provide further details about the victims or the suspected shooter, but said they believed he was acting alone.

Local news station WFAA, citing the local sheriff's office, reported that children were among those injured.

A dashcam video obtained by US news broadcaster CNN showed the suspected shooter getting out of a silver car in the parking lot of the mall and immediately opening fire at shoppers.

Witnesses report multiple bodies at outlet mall

Shoppers cleared from the mall said they saw several bodies covered in sheets when they were given the all-clear to leave the stores they were hiding in.

"I pray it wasn't kids, but it looked like kids," 35-year-old Fontayne Payton told the Associated Press news agency. "It broke me when I walked out to see that."

One man whose daughter was at the mall when the shooting took place told CNN he rushed to the scene.

"There's no more safe places. I don't know what to do," Jaynal Pervez told the US news outlet.

Shootings frequent in the US

US President Joe Biden has decried the "senseless acts of violence" committed by the shooter. He also ordered US flags flown at half staff at federal buildings, military posts and American embassies until Thursday evening.

Gun violence occurs regularly in the United States, where there are more firearms than inhabitants.

Data from the Gun Violence Archive shows there have been more than 195 mass shootings in 2023 so far. May 6, 2023, is the 126th day of the year.

The group defines mass shootings as those in which four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter.

rs/sms (AP, Reuters, AFP)