A high-speed police chase turned chaotic on Saturday evening in Killeen, Texas, when a fleeing pickup truck driver plowed through the doors of a JCPenney store and continued into a bustling shopping mall, injuring five people before being fatally shot by law enforcement.
The incident began around 5 p.m. when police responded to reports of an erratic driver on Interstate 14 near Belton, 20 miles from Killeen. The driver exited the highway, entered the mall parking lot, and crashed through the store entrance at approximately 5:30 p.m., authorities said.
“The suspect drove through the doors and continued to drive through the JCPenney store, striking multiple people,” said Sgt. Bryan Washko of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Officers pursued the vehicle on foot as it barreled through the store and mall, injuring individuals aged 6 to 75. Four victims were transported to hospitals by emergency services, while another sought treatment independently.
The chase ended when officers from multiple agencies engaged the suspect in a shootout, neutralizing the threat. One of the officers involved was working as a security guard at the mall, and others were off-duty.
Authorities have not yet identified the driver, and the conditions of the injured victims remain unknown. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing shoppers fleeing the mall in panic.
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