Remembering the Allen shooting victims
ALLEN — Monday night, the City of Allen hosted a remembrance event at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center.
The mayor, Baine Brooks said the city wanted to have an event to honor the victims and comfort those still healing.
The event featured performances by the Allen High School Choir and the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra, including a work specially commissioned by the community orchestra as a tribute to the victims who died.
Eight people lost their lives on that day, a Saturday in May with beautiful weather that had drawn people out to the mall.
An Allen police officer happened to be there when at 3:36 p.m. he heard the shots.
A man with body armor and an AR-15-style rifle had pulled in front of the H&M store and started the rampage. He wore a patch, with the initials RWDS, believed to represent a right-wing neo-Nazi group.
He killed 8 people, including a 3-year-old and his parents and a pair of young sisters.
Others like Irvin Walker who survived being shot were left with injuries and memories.
In 5 minutes, it was all over. The attacker was shot and killed by police.
One year later, the mall unveiled a memorial with eight chimes to represent the eight lives lost. The plaque reads, "Always remembered. May 6, 2023."
"This year, there's been a lot of healing, a lot of prayer, and I would say Allen's stronger," said Mayor Brooks. "We've gone through a lot."