Texas: At least 9 people were killed and 7 were wounded after a gunman opened fire at a busy mall north of Dallas on Saturday, police said.

Police Chief Brian Harvey of Allen, Texas, announced during a press conference that the gunman, who investigators said they suspect acted alone, was shot and killed by a police officer after opening fire outside of the Allen Premium Outlets mall.

At least nine patients with gunshot wounds were sent to local hospitals by the Allen fire department, according to Jon Boyd, chief of the department, and two of them passed away.

Eight of the injured individuals, whose ages ranged from 5 to 61, were being treated in trauma centres at Medical City Healthcare's 16 hospitals in the vicinity, according to a statement. What condition they were in was not disclosed by the hospital.

After the incident broke out, hundreds of people were seen leaving the mall, which is about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Dallas, peacefully while dozens of police officers stood guard. Many of them had their hands raised.

The gunman was "walking down the sidewalk just... shooting his gun outside," according to an unnamed eyewitness who spoke to the local ABC affiliate WFAA TV, and "he was just shooting his gun everywhere for the most part."

Outside the mall, there were bloody walkways and what appeared to be bodies were covered in white sheets.

In a statement, Texas Governor Greg Abbott described the massacre as a "unspeakable tragedy" and stated that his state was ready to provide any help local authorities might require.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, mass shootings have become routine in the United States. At least 198 have occurred so far in 2023, which is the most at this stage of the year since at least 2016. A mass shooting, according to the charitable organisation, is one in which four or more persons are injuredor killed, excluding the gunman.

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