According to police in Texas, the 16-year-old suspect in the shooting of three people at an El Paso mall was shot by a citizen who was legally carrying a firearm at the time.
The suspect, a Hispanic male, is accused of murdering Angeles Zaragoza, 17, and injuring two others, a 20-year-old Hispanic male and a 17-year-old Hispanic male.
According to police, the alleged shooter was shot as he fled the scene by 32-year-old Emmanuel Duran.
“As soon as the shooting ended, the 16-year-old suspect began to run and was pointing the gun toward the direction of bystanders, including 32-year-old Emmanuel Duran, a Licensed to Carry Holder, the El Paso Police Department said in a statement.
"As the suspect ran toward Duran and bystanders, Duran drew his handgun and shot the suspect,” the El Paso Police Department said in a statement.
Duran and an off-duty police officer "rendered aid" to the suspect after he was shot, according to police, before he was taken into custody and transported to the hospital, where he was in stable condition.
According to investigators, Duran, who was listed as a victim in the incident, has been cooperating with police.
The shooting occurred Wednesday evening at El Paso's Cielo Vista Mall. According to police, the violence was sparked by a "confrontation" between two groups at the food court.
Police Sgt. Robert Gomez said the suspect would probably be charged with murder: “One person is dead so the likely charge will be murder, it’s not official but that would be the appropriate charge," he told reporters.
"And the other suspects that were injured by gunfire, the appropriate charge would be aggravated assault, but again, until they are officially charged he is just a suspect."
According to Gomez, the incident was upsetting, and the gun used in the killing was stolen.
“It is always concerning when a 16-year-old has a stolen handgun and fires a weapon inside of a crowded mall. It’s very concerning, it’s very disturbing actually,” he said.
Another mall shooter was stopped by a citizen with a gun when 22-year-old Elisjsha Dicken shot a man who attempted to shoot up an Indiana mall. Dicken fired ten rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol, striking the shooter eight times in less than 15 seconds and from a distance of about 40 yards.
Dicken was widely regarded as a hero, and police went so far as to credit him with saving countless lives.