Remembering the 8 people killed in the Texas mall attack

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• Amna Nawaz:

  We're learning new and disturbing details about the racist and dangerous beliefs of the shooter in Allen, Texas, who took eight lives and wounded at least seven others when he went on a rampage Saturday at a shopping mall.

• Geoff Bennett:

  But, first, we want to focus on the victims and take a moment to remember the lives lost in that attack, the 200th mass shooting of this year.

  Two families lost multiple loved ones, including several children.

  The Cho family lost three of four family members; 37-year-old Kyu Song Cho and Cindy Cho, age 35, were killed, along with their 3-year-old son, James. The only surviving member of the family is 6-year-old William, who just celebrated his birthday.

  According to a family friend: "Cindy used her body to shield him from the danger of an evil monster. A 6-year-old boy lost his entire family in split seconds in the most horrific way possible."

  Fourth grader Daniela Mendoza and second grader Sofia Mendoza were students at Cox Elementary. The school's principal described the sisters as rays of sunshine. Their uncle wrote on the family's GoFundMe page: "The girls have left a void that nothing in the world could ever fill. Please pray for their mom, my sister and her broken heart. Their mother, Ilda Mendoza, remains hospitalized.

  Christian LaCour had worked as a security guard at the Allen outlet mall. His grandmother posted to Facebook, saying — quote — "He was such a beautiful soul, 20 years old with goals for his future. I was so proud of him."

  Twenty-six-year-old Aishwarya Thatikonda was born in India, graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2020, and was working as a civil engineer at the Dallas area firm Perfect General Contractors. The company'S CEO told reporters: "She was always prepared to give her very best. She came to the United States with a dream to make a career."

  The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the eighth victim as 32-year-old Elio Cumana-Rivas of Dallas, whose details have not yet been confirmed.