ALLEN, Texas —

Multiple people were shot, some fatally, at a mall near Dallas by a gunman who authorities believe was acting alone — and who is now dead — and at least nine victims were transported to trauma facilities, officials said Saturday.

A Dallas-area medical group says it is treating victims as young as 5 years old.

Authorities in Allen, Texas, responded to the shooting at an outlet mall in the afternoon, with ATF personnel on the scene at Allen Premium Outlets.

There was a search for a second gunman, according to a source, but police now say they believe the shooter acted alone.

Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said nine victims were transported to area medical facilities, but he didn't specify the number of injured or dead because authorities don't have an accurate count. The Associated Press reported the victims were between the ages of 5 and 61.

Officials said they would provide an update at 9 p.m. Central CST. You can watch it live at the top of this page.

Video below Jonathan Boyd gives latest on victims

The city of Allen tweeted: "Our hearts are with the individuals and families impacted by this tragic event."

U.S. Rep. Keith Self also told CNN's Paula Reid that there are multiple casualties but he declined to specify a number, saying he would leave that information to law enforcement.

"The shooter is dead and I am told by law enforcement that there was only one shooter, they have now confirmed that," the Republican representative said. "There are now multiple victims but I am going to leave that to law enforcement to announce. The scene is now secure but it's fluid."

Video below witnesses describe the scene at the Allen Premium Outlets

Witnesses told CNN that they saw the gunman, who was dressed all in black, and was wearing tactical gear.

Police believe they have identified the vehicle of the deceased suspect, which is being examined by the bomb squad as a precaution, the source says.

Gov. Greg Abbott called it an "unspeakable tragedy," saying in a statement that "our hearts are with the people of Allen, Texas."

Jaynal Pervez told CNN affiliate KTVT that he arrived at the mall after his daughter, who was inside, called to inform him about a shooting.

"We saw the police outside the door, and they told us we had to go, and that they are still looking for the person," Pervez said. "There's no more safe places. I don't know what to do."

'Just pray for me': Father describes text from daughter who was at mall

Police in Allen asked residents to avoid the area.

Tony Wright, a resident whose home backs up to the Allen Premium Outlets, said his family thought they heard construction before they realized it was gunshots.

Wright said he was driving away from his house at the time and didn't hear the gunshots himself, but his family called him moments later, "freaking out," and saying they heard gunfire.

Initially, however, it wasn't clear.

"Everyone thought it was hammering," he said of the noise of gunfire that sounded like construction.

But he said once they saw people fleeing the outlet mall, the family locked the doors and hunkered down.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Eight people were killed in a shooting at an outlet mall near Dallas, and seven victims are being treated at trauma facilities, officials said Saturday night. The gunman, who authorities believe was acting alone, is also dead.

Allen, Texas, Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said that at least nine people were sent to hospitals. "Of those that we transported, two have since died. Three are in critical surgery, and four are stable," said Boyd.

A Dallas-area medical group says it was treating victims as young as 5 years old.

Authorities in Allen responded to the afternoon shooting at Allen Premium Outlets, prompting shoppers and workers to hide.

There was a search for a second gunman, according to a source, but police now say they believe the shooter acted alone. Police said an Allen officer killed the shooter.

Suspect identified

Federal agents have been reviewing social media accounts they believe Mauricio Garcia, 33, used and posts that expressed interest in white supremacist and neo-Nazi views, said the official, who could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Garcia also had a patch on his chest when he was killed by police that read "RWDS," an acronym for the phrase “Right Wing Death Squad,” which is popular among right-wing extremists and white supremacy groups, the official said.

A photo obtained by CNN shows what appears to be the gunman lying on the ground after being shot, with an AR-15-style firearm nearby. He is clad in black body armor and appears to have several extra magazines strapped in his chest gear.

Video below: Jonathan Boyd gives latest on victims

In addition to the AR-15-style weapon found near him, Garcia had at least one other weapon on him when he was fatally shot in front of the mall, the senior law enforcement source said. Police also found multiple weapons in his car.

CNN spoke with neighbors who witnessed FBI and police at the home of an address that matches Garcia's parents' on Saturday night.

They arrived there about an hour after the shooting and blocked off the street for several hours, neighbors said.

Garcia had been living in some form of transient lodging, according to the law enforcement source. The Dallas Morning News reported the suspect had been staying in an extended-stay hotel in Dallas.

Video from above the scene showed hundreds of shoppers exiting the area, many holding their hands up. The aerial footage appeared to show at least three bodies covered by sheets outside the mall.

Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey described how the shooter was killed. "One of our officers was on an unrelated call at the outlet mall," said Harvey. "He heard gunshots, went to the gunshots, engaged the suspect, and neutralized the suspect."

Video below: Chief Harvey describes how shooter was killed

Series of recent mass shootings

The mass shooting in Allen is the latest in a relentless series of gun violence across the nation that has brought terror to supermarkets, schools, hospitals and other places typically considered safe. It comes just days after a gunman became enraged during a visit to an Atlanta medical facility, allegedly shooting dead at least one person with a handgun and injuring four others before he was caught hours later.

The attack is one of at least 199 mass shootings this year in the U.S. with four or more people shot, excluding a gunman, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Officials react

In a statement, President Joe Biden said the assailant wore tactical gear and fired an AR-15-style weapon. He urged Congress to enact tighter restrictions on firearms and ammunition.

"Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar. And yet, American communities have suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts," said Biden, who ordered flags lowered to half-staff.

Republicans in Congress, he said, "cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug."

Gov. Greg Abbott called the attack an "unspeakable tragedy," saying in a statement that "our hearts are with the people of Allen, Texas."

The City of Allen tweeted: "Our hearts are with the individuals and families impacted by this tragic event."

Rep. Keith Self, a Republican whose congressional district includes Allen, said the shooting could have been worse if not for the quick response by law enforcement to the gunfire.

Video below witnesses describe the scene at the Allen Premium Outlets

"We will never know how many lives were saved by the swift actions of our first responders," Self said during a news conference Saturday night.

Witnesses speak out

Shoppers and employees scrambled into storage areas and hid when they heard gunshots, they told CNN correspondent Ed Lavandera. Witnesses said some people sheltered in place for up to two hours as law enforcement cleared the sprawling complex.

One witness said that he saw a man holding his neck, and "blood (was) just dripping down."

Jaynal Pervez told CNN affiliate KTVT that he arrived at the mall after his daughter, who was inside, called to inform him about a shooting.

"We saw the police outside the door, and they told us we had to go, and that they are still looking for the person," Pervez said. "There's no more safe places. I don't know what to do."

'Just pray for me': Father describes text from daughter who was at mall

Tony Wright, a resident whose home backs up to the Allen Premium Outlets, said his family thought they heard construction before they realized it was gunshots.

Wright said he was driving away from his house at the time and didn't hear the gunshots himself, but his family called him moments later, "freaking out," and saying they heard gunfire.

Initially, however, it wasn't clear.

"Everyone thought it was hammering," he said of the noise of gunfire that sounded like construction.

But he said once they saw people fleeing the outlet mall, the family locked the doors and hunkered down.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, N.J. —

A video showing police officers breaking up a fight between a Black teenager and a white teenager at a New Jersey mall has prompted outrage over the police response.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said Wednesday that the "appearance of what is racially disparate treatment is deeply, deeply disturbing."

One video of the incident reviewed by CNN shows the boys arguing before the white teenager points his finger at the Black teenager's face, and the Black teenager pushes the white teenager's hand back. The white teenager pushes the Black teenager, who begins to throw punches at the other boy. The white teenager punches back.

The Black teenager ends up on the ground. Two Bridgewater Township police officers arrive and separate the two boys.

The Black teenager begins to get up and is pinned to the ground by one officer and rolled onto his stomach, with his hands behind his back. The other officer pushes the white teenager onto a nearby couch and then assists in handcuffing the Black teenager. Eventually, officers stand the handcuffed Black teenager up.

It is unclear how the incident escalated between the boys or what happened after the Black teenager was handcuffed.

CNN has not been able to speak to either teenagers or their parents.

The Black teenager, who identified himself by his first name, Kye, spoke to CNN affiliate WABC, saying his friend was arguing with the white teenager and he "just kind of jumped in" before it turned into a physical fight. He said the officers on scene "basically tackled (him) to the ground" and one officer put his knee on his back.

"The male officer put his knee in my back, then he started putting me in cuffs and then the female officer came over and put her knee on my upper back too, and started helping putting cuffs on me ... while (the white teenager) was just sitting down on the couch watching the whole thing," Kye said.

The Bridgewater Township Police Department said in a Facebook post that they know video of the incident has upset members of the community. They have asked the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office to investigate the incident.

"We recognize that this video has made members of our community upset and are calling for an internal affairs investigation," the department wrote.

"The officers were able to respond quickly to this incident and stop it from escalating because of a tip we received from the community. We have requested that the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office assist us in this matter and are requesting patience as we strictly adhere to the New Jersey Attorney General's Internal Affairs Directive.

"We appreciate the videos that we have already received from community members and ask that anyone who has a video of this incident please email it to tips@bridgewaterpd.com. The men and women of the Bridgewater Township Police Department are thankful for our community partners and look forward to continuing to build our positive relationships."

Gov. Murphy on Wednesday also said that the incident is "just another reminder that the progress we made on the relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve ... our work is not done, and we need to continue that."

The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office confirmed to CNN Wednesday that their Internal Affairs Unit is investigating both the fight and the police response. The Mayor of Bridgewater, Matthew Moench, said in a letter to residents that it is "not appropriate for [him] or any other Township official to comment any further" while the investigation is ongoing, but said he is "completely confident that the Prosecutor's review will be impartial, objective and thorough."

The New Jersey Attorney General's office also said in a statement Wednesday that they are working closely with the prosecutor's office on the investigation. "The SPCO will follow the Attorney General's Office's strict guidelines and procedures for investigating possible misconduct, and to ensure transparency and accountability," a spokesperson said.

Kye's mother told CNN affiliate WCBS that she wants the officers involved to become "unemployable."

"Maybe they could have broken up the fight and maybe set them aside and called their parents. No cuffs, no aggression. Dealt with them like they were teenagers," the mother said. "I'm not happy about it, and I do want those two cops to become unemployable. That's what I would like."

OMAHA, Neb. —

Omaha police say an officer responding to a shoplifting call was shot Friday afternoon at Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska.

According to Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, two officers responded to the JCPenney at Westroads Mall when a struggle happened and a shoplifting suspect shot an officer.

First responders rushed the officer who was shot to Nebraska Medicine in critical condition.

The incident happened around 4 p.m.

Witnesses said the officer was shot in the head. Schmaderer did not confirm where the officer was shot but did say that multiple shots were fired.

Omaha police said Friday night that their injured officer is stable and the suspect is in custody after a pursuit with Nebraska State Patrol.

Lt. Sherie Thomas of Omaha police said the suspect was arrested following a high-speed chase.

She said the pursuit began around 5:20 p.m. Thomas added that the suspect was taken into custody around 20 minutes later without any incident.

A gun was found at the scene where the suspect was taken into custody, according to Thomas.

Thomas explained that the officer who was injured in the shooting is alert and will need surgery.

Witnesses told KETV it was a frightening situation.

"So then all of us were just kind of freaking out," Ashley Heisler said. "Our hands were shaking."

Ashley Heisler and her older sister Kaitlyn Heisler were inside the mall when the shots were fired.

"We were inside of Claire's, and next thing, we're getting ready to leave, and next thing I know, we see a bunch of people getting pushed into the store," Kaitlyn Heisler said.

They called their father, Dan Heisler, who rushed to the scene.

"My daughter called up and said there was a shooting, and they had to be taken into a store and then I freaked out at that point," Dan Heisler said. "Talked to mom and we called some friends and ended up coming here."

Other witnesses like Austin Shellenberger were also inside when the crowd began to panic.

"Next thing you know, bottom floor is starting to run around, then we get pulled by two security guards rushing down the hall," Shellenberger said. "They pulled us into a foot locker where we had been positioned at the back of the shop."

Shellenberger described the shooting as terrifying.

"Terrifying because you see two security guards and you see everyone else running around you, pulling people, and I mean literally pulling people into stores and you just shut down," Shellenberger said.

Dan Heisler is just thankful his daughters are ok.

"It's scary," Dan Heisler said. "It's scary. Not something you want to be driving someplace for but it's scary. But they're okay, so, all good."