Texas Mall Shooting Survivor Breaks Silence on Attack: 'Like a War Zone'

A survivor of the mass shooting at a mall in Allen, Texas has said the incident was "horrifying" and praised a sales associate who "saved our lives" in an interview with CBS News Texas.

Racquel Lee found herself in a store bathroom after traveling to Allen Premium Outlets where a gunman shot dead eight people and injured at least seven others on Saturday.

The suspected shooter has been identified as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, who was killed at the scene by an Allen Police Department officer who was at the mall on an unrelated call, according to police.

Lee drove to Allen Premium Outlets and parked in front of the H&M store. The shooter would later park outside the same store before carrying out the deadly attack.

She spoke to CBS News Texas' Nicole Baker about her experience and said that she and 12 others were gathered inside the store's bathroom closet by a store associate, whom she credited with saving their lives.

"It sounded like a war zone," Lee said. "It was horrifying and it felt like you were in a dream. Like, just shock.

"We were in a bathroom closet and we were just in the closet trying not to be heard, crying, praying," she said. "People were trying to call 911. We couldn't dial out.

"I just remember thinking 'Oh God, he's coming in here next," when I was crouching down, I hope we don't get hit by a bullet," Lee said. "And then the store associate saved our lives."

Lee, who was visibly upset during her conversation with CBS News Texas, also reportedly told the outlet that the store associate in question was one of the bodies she walked past when she left the store.

On Sunday, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced that they had identified the suspected gunman as Mauricio Garcia. That announcement followed searches at Garcia's parents' home in northeast Dallas on Saturday night along with a location nearby where Garcia had been living.

The suspected gunman had reportedly lived at his parent's home until a few months ago and FBI agents removed three to four boxes from that home on Saturday, according to neighbors who spoke to CBS News.

Police have not made any statement about the suspected shooter's motives but investigators believe he acted alone.

Garcia did not have a serious criminal record but investigators found that he had a significant social media presence and may have had links to right-wing extremism, CNN reported on Sunday citing a senior law enforcement source familiar with the investigation.

Newsweek has reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety via email for further comment.