A Texas man drove his truck through the mall during a deadly police chase. He didn’t make it out.
An interesting way to try and escape the police is to drive through a mall. However, it’s pretty risky and very dangerous. One Texas man drove his truck through the mall but didn’t make it out the other side.
A police chase through a Texas mall turned deadly
Killeen police officers responded to multiple reports of a black pickup truck driving erratically when a high-speed chase ensued. Callers thought that the driver might be drunk.
The pursuit began around 5 PM on Interstate 14 in Belton. About 30 minutes later, the truck pulled into a mall parking lot, but it didn’t stop.
The driver rammed through the glass doors of a JCPenny and drove through the store. He continued into the mall after striking multiple victims before crashing into another store.
State troopers and Killeen police officers chased after the truck on foot. According to NPR, Officers from the public safety department, Killeen, and three other law enforcement agencies engaged in gunfire to eliminate the threat.
One officer involved in gunfire was working as a security guard at the mall at the time. Also, a few officers were off duty. The driver, 53-year-old Darral Schultz, was fatally shot.
Five people were hit by the black truck and were transported to local hospitals. The victims range in age from 6 to 75 years old and their conditions are currently unknown.
Police officers explained that thankfully Schultz was stopped before making things worse. The mall is extremely busy this time of year. But it led to false reports of an active shooter in the mall.
Also, the truck was still inside the mall as of Saturday night. The area is secure, but the public is urged to stay away.
Texas DPS will lead an investigation into the incident. Plus, the Texas Rangers Division will be involved.
