Allen outlet mall shooting survivor Irvin Walker in recovery after being shot multiple times
ALLEN (CBSNewsTexas.com) – The daughter and a friend of Irvin Walker, one of the surviving victims of the deadly Allen Premium Outlets mall shooting, gave an update on his condition in a press conference Wednesday evening.
Irvin, 46, was one of the first victims shot on May 6.
"[My dad] was at the mall that day shopping like any other American," Jasmine Walker said.
The gunman began shooting directly into his vehicle as he was looking for a parking space. He was shot twice in the chest and once in his shoulder – all this caught on a dash cam video that's circulating online.
"When you see the wounds on his body, you understand why a gun like that should not be in anybody's hands," said Darryl K. Washington, a civil rights and personal injury attorney.
On May 8, Walker had his first surgery – which family says he "came out of recovery singing." He has his second surgery scheduled for May 12.
"He knows God is with him and that's what he's been saying since the beginning," Jasmine said. "He's so spirit filled. It's a relief to have someone who has faith in the people taking care of him."
Jasmine and her father's fraternity brothers joined hundreds of others in prayer Wednesday night.
"[Irvin] wanted to make sure that he sent out prayers to the victim's family," Washington said. "That's so very important to him because there's a part of him that's feeling guilt."
Anthony Calime, a friend and fraternity brother of Irvin, says he is someone who never meets a stranger.
"...When I got to hospital, he just looked at me and he said, 'They can't take me out. I'm God's people. He covered me.' I said, 'Yes, you are.'"
Washington says that moving forward, "It's so very important to Irvin that we find out why this happened and whether this was preventable."
Jasmine is focusing on the long road to recovery, and will be there every step of the way.
"It's been a journey and I know it's going to be, moving forward, especially now considering he's protected me all my life and now I have to figure out how to protect him," she said.
Irvin is employed as an independent contractor, according to his family. A GoFundMe account has been created to support him during recovery.
