Police have identified the man they say drove a pickup truck into a Texas mall on Saturday, striking four people before being fatally shot by responding law enforcement officers. John Darrel Schultz, 53, of Kempner, Texas, is the suspect in the incident, according to Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Bryan Washko.
The chase began when a Texas Highway Patrol trooper tried to stop the pickup truck around 5 p.m. CT in the Belton area after receiving a call about a potentially intoxicated driver. The truck exited the highway and entered the Killeen Mall parking lot, where it drove through the glass doors of a JCPenney store, striking multiple people.
The truck traveled several hundred yards through the store, with police officers following on foot and engaging in gunfire to stop the suspect. Four people were injured, ranging in age from 6 to 75, and were taken to a hospital, while a fifth person went to the hospital on their own.
Two off-duty officers who were at the mall with their families were among the law enforcement who opened fire to stop the driver. The mall reopened on Sunday and will return to normal holiday hours.
Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene, with one man describing how he and his friends jumped out of their car to make sure everyone was okay, and saw people being helped by passersby. Another witness captured part of the police chase on dashcam, which showed officers trying to corner the suspect before he fled into the store.
Police shot and killed the suspect, who was identified as John Darrel Schultz, and have not yet released a motive for the incident. The victims’ condition is still unknown, but police say they are praying for their recovery.