Eight people killed at a mall shooting in Texas

A mass shooting on Sunday morning has left eight people dead and many others injured at a mall in Allen, Texas, located to the north of Dallas. 

Eyewitnesses reported seeing the assailant firing indiscriminately at shoppers, causing panic and chaos as hundreds of people evacuated the scene. 

According to Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd, seven people, including the gunman, were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others passed away later in hospital.

The gunman, who was dressed in black and combat gear, was neutralized by a police officer who responded to the sound of gunfire.

Video footage taken after the shooting revealed an AR-15 style rifle lying next to the shooter's body. 

The victims, whose ages range from 5 to 51, included children, with at least three people being critically injured.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has offered his condolences to the families of the victims and described the shooting as an "unspeakable tragedy." 

Police have appealed to members of the public who witnessed the incident to come forward and provide any video evidence that could assist with the investigation.

Unfortunately, this incident is not an isolated event, with Texas still owning to lax gun laws allowing individuals to carry handguns without a license, unless they have a prior conviction.

In addition, there are few restrictions on the possession of rifles and shotguns. 

So far this year, there have been at least 198 mass shootings in the US in which four or more people were killed or wounded, according to the Gun Violence Archive, making it the highest number at this point in the year since at least 2016.