The shooting suspect was wearing a “right wing death squad” patch, according to documents obtained by Rolling Stone
The suspected mass shooter who killed at least eight people at an Allen, Texas mall on Saturday frequently posted pro-white supremacist and neo-Nazi materials on social media, according to an FBI bulletin reviewed by Rolling Stone.
The FBI’s “review and triage of the subject’s social media accounts revealed hundreds of postings and images to include writings with racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist rhetoric, including neo-Nazi materials and material espousing the supremacy of the white race,” the bulletin reads.
The document also says the alleged shooter was discharged from the military in 2008 amid “mental health concerns.” The Defense Department did not immediately return Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.
Investigators believe the shooter was a neo-Nazi and an “incel,” according to an internal email circulated by Texas law enforcement.
On Saturday, a man, identified in law enforcement documents as 33-year-old Dallas resident Mauricio Garcia, opened fire at an Allen Premium Outlets. The suspected shooter was killed by police at the scene, where several of the victims were found deceased. Nine additional victims were later transported to the hospital. Another two victims later died at the hospital.
Garcia had no criminal history but is believed to have been associated with a local neo-Nazi group, according to the email. He previously reported a lost firearm to authorities, which police believe allowed him to then modify that same firearm in an attempt to make it harder to trace, according to the law enforcement documents reviewed by Rolling Stone. The suspect is a U.S. citizen who has never applied for a passport, the law enforcement documents also noted.
Garcia was armed with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun, according to law enforcement emails. He was also wearing a tactical vest with an “RWDS” patch — a reference to “right wing death squad,” which is a term used by white supremacists. He had 10 rifle magazines and six pistol magazines on his body. More handguns and rifles were found in his car, according to law enforcement emails.
The investigation into the shooter’s motives is ongoing.
