DALLAS — AAPI groups in Dallas made a public plea on Monday at a news conference for the Texas Department of Public Safety to thoroughly investigate whether the shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets was a hate crime.
DPS officials have confirmed the shooter displayed neo-Nazi and racist ideology on his social media. But investigators said at a news conference last week that they believe he targeted the location of the mall, not specific groups of people.
“And it’s outrageous because clearly a full and thorough investigation had not been conducted,” Lily Trieu from Asian Texans for Justice said at a news conference Monday.
“You can’t separate location from the people who live there," Stephanie Drenka from the Dallas Asian American Historical Society added.
"And what Allen is known for is being diverse as being an area where there’s a large Asian American and South Asian American population."
Caroline Kim, a business owner in Koreatown, got emotional at the news conference when she told the crowd most of the victims were people of color.
“And now I wonder how close was that to being me? And worst of all how close was that to being my 6-year-old?” she cried.
The speakers also held a prayer vigil following the news conference at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, where many people advocated for gun control legislation.
“Prayer without action often goes unanswered,” Ramiro Luna of Somos Tejas told churchgoers.
“Let's continue to pray but let’s not give hope and remember we have a responsibility to knock on every legislator's door, and make every call, until common sense gun legislation is passed here in Texas.”