A former Texas law enforcement official and impromptu first responder who tried to help victims at the scene of the Allen Premium Outlets shooting is calling for lawmakers to pass common-sense gun laws in the wake of Saturday’s tragedy.
“I fully support the defense of our Second Amendment,” Steven Spainhouer said in a video released by the Texas Democratic Party on Tuesday. “But we could do things with red flag laws and background checks and mental health screenings here in the state.”
Spainhouer was on his way to Allen Premium Outlets to have lunch with his son when his son called to say there was an active shooter at the mall.
“I pulled up and stopped about 50 feet in front of the H&M store, which is where my son worked, and I immediately saw a guy begging for help on the phone, hollering for help,” Spainhouer said. “I saw bodies on the sidewalk. My police officer training took over at that point.”
Spainhouer described trying to help the victims, including one whose face had been blown away.
“She was gone,” he said. “I could not do anything for her.”
Spainhouer is a former law enforcement officer, a veteran and a gun owner, but he said government leaders need to do more than talk about mental health and offer thoughts and prayers.
The shooter used an AR-15 rifle with an extended magazine. A Texas Department of Public Safety official said Tuesday that the gunman, Mauricio Garcia, had eight weapons with him — three on his person and five in his car — all of which were legally purchased. Garcia shot 15 people in about three or four minutes before an Allen police officer killed the gunman.
“We can make sure that there are other things done at the state level to make sure that we don’t have these type of weapons out on the streets and accessible to people that should have no business having those weapons,” Spainhouer said.