Aishwarya Thatikonda, a resident of McKinney, was shot while shopping with a companion at the Allen Premium Outlets in Dallas by gunman Mauricio Garcia. An Indian engineer was among nine people killed when a gunman opened fire at a crowded mall in Dallas in the US state of Texas, authorities said on Monday. Aishwarya Thatikonda, of McKinney, was shopping with a friend when they were shot by gunman Mauricio Garcia at the Allen Premium Outlets in Dallas, the New York Post newspaper reported. The shooting erupted around 3.30 pm on Saturday as throngs of shoppers filled the outdoor mall. The shooting killed at least eight people before Mauricio Garcia, a 33-year-old gunman, was shot dead by a police officer. She worked as a project engineer at Perfect General Contractors LLC. A family representative confirmed to the WFAA television station that Thatikonda was also among the dead from the senseless gun violence. She was an engineer living and working in Texas while her family was in India, the TV station reported. Her friend, who was not identified, was injured but is currently in stable condition at the hospital, the report said. Thatikonda's family is planning to bring her body back to India, the report said. She was working in Dallas as a project engineer for more than two years before her tragic death, according to her LinkedIn profile. Garcia, the gunman, was shot and killed by an officer who was patrolling the area. A Dallas home linked to Garcia's parents was searched by police on Saturday night after the massacre, and officials also scoured a motel where the shooter had booked an extended stay. In a statement about the shooting, the mall said, “We are horrified by the senseless tragedy at Allen Premium Outlets and are outraged by the violence that continues to plague our country. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and others affected by this heinous act. We are thankful for the Allen Police Officer's heroic actions and for the support of all the first responders.”
