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On Saturday, May 6, 2023, mass shooting suspect Mauricio Garcia reportedly killed eight people and injured seven others during an attack in Allen, Texas, before being fatally shot by an officer at the scene. According to investigators, Garcia was wearing a tactical vest with the symbol 'RWDS' or 'Right Wing Death Squad' on it, which is typically associated with neo-nazi groups. This has led many to suspect that he may have had ties to right-wing extremist or white supremacist factions.
Trigger warning: This article concerns a mass shooting, the reader's discretion is advised
Mauricio Garcia's suspected right-wing ties have come under scrutiny by many right-wing extremists. Several users have claimed that it is unlikely that Garcia was a right-wing radical, as he was a Mexican. Authorities have not confirmed whether or not Garcia was formally linked to any organization.
The alleged right-wing ties of Mauricio Garcia
According to the FBI, Mauricio Garcia's social media profiles indicated that he sympathized with white supremacist ideologies. His online posts reportedly included racist rhetoric.
As per the Independent, authorities are investigating whether or not Garcia carried out the attacks with any accomplices from radical right wing factions.
The mass shooting reportedly showed signs of organization and planning. At the time of the incident, Garcia had moved out of his parent's home and stationed himself in a motel.
He carried out the shooting while armed with multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle. He was also wearing a tactical vest that had additional ammunition clips.
Cheryl Jackson, a 54-year-old community leader in Allen, commented on the suspect's supposed right wing links.
Jackson said:
“I never thought this would happen in Allen, Texas. We’re suburbs; we’re love. We’re Black, we’re white, Hispanic. But we’re all together."
Brian Harvey, The Allen Police Chief, said that investigators are interviewing the suspect's family members in order to find out about his beliefs or potential accomplices. They said that they are also combing through his financial records and additional online posts. Despite this, Harvey said that they are still in the initial stages of the investigation, and they do not have a lot of information.
Many Republican Twitter users believe that left-wing media is attempting to frame Mauricio Garcia as a white supremacist in order to disparage the right wing. They noted that Garcia was most likely from an immigrant family, as his relatives allegedly asked for a translator during the police interview.
However, it should be noted that not all right-wing or white supremacist radicals are white.
CBS reported that at the time of the shooting, Garcia had no criminal record. He had been working as a private security guard, a job that led to him undergoing a formal firearms training course. He had worked for three security firms from 2016 to 2020.
