Texas police kill driver who rams truck into mall – National

A pickup truck driver fleeing police burst through the doors of a JCPenney store in a busy location. Texas shopping center, injuring five people before being shot and killed by police, authorities said.

A 53-year-old man identified as John Darrel Schultz of Kempner drove a truck and crashed into the department store in Killeen, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of the state capital Austin, Saturday after noon and continued into the building, hitting people as he went, according to Sgt. Bryan Washko of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Emergency medical services transported four victims from the mall to area hospitals and another traveled separately to a hospital. They ranged in age from 6 to 75 and their conditions were not immediately known, he said.

The chase began around 5 p.m. on Interstate 14 in Belton, about 20 miles from Killeen, after authorities received calls about an erratic driver in a black pickup truck, said Ofelia Miramontez of the Killeen Police Department.

Schultz then drove off the road and into the shopping center parking lot.

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“The suspect walked through the doors and continued through the JCPenney store, striking several people,” Washko said. “The police officer and Killeen police officer continued on foot after this vehicle, which was driving through the store, actively running over people. He traveled several hundred meters.

Officers from the state Department of Public Safety, Killeen and three other law enforcement agencies “fired to eliminate this threat,” Washko said.

One of the officers who exchanged gunfire with the suspect worked as a security guard at the mall and others were off-duty, he said.

Witnesses interviewed by local media outside the mall said they heard several gunshots and saw people fleeing through the mall.

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