Daniela and Sofia Mendoza.Photo: GoFundMe
Two young sisters were killedand their mother left hospitalized in theTexas mall mass shootingon Saturday, leaving a family heartbroken and a town shaken as it rallies to support its kids.
Daniela was in fourth grade. Her sister Sofia was in second.
Vinson said the girls' mother, Ilda Mendoza, is in critical condition, according toTheWylieNews.
The mass shooting took place at about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday when a 33-year-old gunman opened fire at an outdoor shopping mall in Allen, Texas, about 25 miles north of Dallas.
The Mendoza family.gofundme
People hug as they visit the memorial next to the Allen Premium Outlets.Joe Raedle/Getty
The Mendoza sisters were among three child victims of the shooting, the Texas Department of Public SafetysaidMonday. The other victim, 3-year-old James Cho, died alongside both his parents, leaving his 6-year-old brother William, who was shot but survived, to grow up without his parents and his little brother.
“Each of these individuals were members of our North Texas community and their loss is felt with heavy hearts,” the Allen Police Department said while sharing the information about the eight victims.
A police officer who was on an unrelated call at the mall heard gunshots at about 3:36 p.m. before locatingthe gunmanand killing him.
Ina statementover the weekend, President Joe Biden said “such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar.”
Biden noted that “the leading cause of death for American kids is gun violence.”
Flags at Cheri Cox Elementary, the elementary school the Mendoza sisters attended, were flown at half staff on Monday,The New York Timesreported.
The school’s principal Krista Wilson called the girls “rays of sunshine,” while the local Wylie Elite Cheer school the Mendoza sisters attendedencouragedthe community to wear yellow, the girls' favorite color.
“Our love for our kiddos and each other will get us through this,” Vinson wrote to parents. “Daniela and Sofia will not be forgotten. Hug your kids, and tell them you love them.”
Several fundraisers have been set up to help families in recent days, and GoFundMe has set upa central pagewith each verified fundraiser for the victims.
source: people.com
