Texas mall shooting suspect suspected of extremist views, left strange voicemail about money

The gunman who opened fire at a Texas mall and killed eight people this weekend was identified on Sunday afternoon by authorities as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, according to law enforcement sources. New reports indicate he may have held extremist, white supremacist views and that his outgoing voicemail message at his personal phone asked people for money. 

Eight people were killed and seven others were wounded on Saturday at the Allen Premium Outlets in the suburb of Allen, around 25 miles north of Dallas, after Garcia opened fire with an AR-15-style firearm. 

Garcia, who had been staying at a motel in the Dallas area before the shooting, was fatally shot by an Allen Police Department officer who just happened to be at the mall responding to another call. 

Garcia, who was wearing black body armor, also had several magazines strapped to his chest gear and at least one other weapon on him, according to a law enforcement source. Multiple weapons were also found in his car. 

According to the Texas Online Security database, Garcia had undergone firearms proficiency training because he worked as a commissioned security officer from 2016 to 2020, until his license expired. 

Authorities are investigating the shooter’s motive in the shooting. The police and the Texas Rangers are investigating whether the gunman’s attack was motivated by right-wing extremism after the suspect was found with an insignia on his clothes reading “RWDS,” allegedly “Right Wing Death Squad.”

A preliminary investigation also found that Garcia had posted hundreds of posts with racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist rhetoric, including neo-Nazi material, on his social media accounts.

The investigation is still ongoing and investigators are interviewing Garcia’s friends and relatives to find out more about the shooter’s intentions. 

“He tried to acknowledge us but seemed a little off," said Garcia’s next-door neighbor, who asked to be identified as Julie. "He wasn’t somebody you could carry a conversation with."

“You could have knocked me over with a feather when I found out,” she added.

 "Hi, this is Mauricio. If you’re the phone company, I already sent the money. If you’re my parents, please send money," the message begins.

He continues: "If you’re my financial aid institution, you didn’t lend me enough money. If you are my friend, you owe me money."

To the ladies, Garcia, who reportedly still lived with his parents said, "don’t worry, I have plenty of money."