In the wake of the tragic shooting at the Allen Outlet Mall in Texas last week, the Allen Police Department has issued a public statement warning of inaccurate reports given by a supposed witness, reports Fox News.

In a press release published last Friday, May 12th, the department called out Mr. Steven Spainhouer of McKinney, Texas for basically lying.

Spainhouer, who identified himself as a former Army officer, appeared on various media outlets following the tragedy.

“It wasn’t mental health that killed these people, it was an automatic rifle with bullets.” Witness of the Allen, TX shooting Steven Spainhouer tells @CapehartJ #SundayShow pic.twitter.com/qJDcdM8OA2

— The Saturday/Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart (@weekendcapehart) May 7, 2023

“When you get hit with an automatic weapon fire at close range, there is no opportunity for survival,” Spainhouer told MSNBC in an interview. 

Spainhouer, who also said he was a “gun lover,” continued, “I don’t know what the gunman’s problem was, but it wasn’t mental health that killed these people. It was an automatic rifle with bullets.”

The suspect in the shooting used an AR-15-style rifle. Not a select fire or fully automatic rifle.

In the press release, the APD blasted Spainhouer, saying he was “not a credible witness.”

“Allen Police Department wants to inform the public of discrepancies with statements made by a witness to several media outlets. Following the shooting at Allen Premium Outlets, Mr. Steven Spainhouer of McKinney, Texas gave multiple public accounts of his actions,” said APD in the press release.

“Inconsistencies between these public accounts and investigative facts led Allen Police Department to conduct a follow-up interview. During this interview, detectives determined that Mr. Spainhouer is not a credible incident witness,” it continued.

Specifically, the department pointed to three errors in Spainhouer’s story:

• Mr. Spainhouer arrived between 3:44 and 3:52 p.m. and was not first on the scene, nor was he on the property while gunfire was occurring
• He did not perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or administer first aid
• He did not move a deceased mother who was covering a live child

The APD emphasized the importance of verifying information before its dissemination, particularly in crisis situations that can often be rife with inaccurate reports.

“As inaccurate reports can be prevalent in such situations, it is essential to confirm information before sharing it,” the department advised. “Please take note of this to prevent unintentional spreading of misinformation.”

Fixing the problem with gun violence in our communities requires a multi-faceted response: better mental healthcare systems AND red-flag laws that requires mental health and criminal background checks on ALL firearm purchases. @GovAbbott @TexasGOP pic.twitter.com/xRgecUmzqY

— F. Steven Spainhouer (@SteveSpainhouer) May 14, 2023

Spainhouer responded to the police department’s allegations in a public post on Facebook.

“First of all, I have never said I heard gunshots at the Allen Outlet Mall. When I arrived at the H&M store, there was one person there asking for my help,” Spainhouer stated.

He added, “If there were other first responders there before I showed up, I would have no way of knowing it. If the Allen Police were at the mall before me, I would have no way to know it, because they were not at the H&M Store location where most of the shooting victims were located.”

Spainhouer remained firm on his recollection of the incident.

“I know what I did and did not do while waiting on the Allen Police and Fire Departments. I know that there were individuals who were deceased and could not be treated with CPR. I know because I was there,” he continued.

He also clarified that he did not move any victims, apart from the first one he found to check on her.

“I did not move any victims, except the first one I found to check on her. A small child pulled himself from under a victim and I assisted him to a safe space away from the area,” he said.

He claimed he did not “see a police car or ambulance for another 5-6 minutes” after arriving on the scene. Furthermore, Spainhouer challenged the Allen Police Department to explain their response time to the scene, particularly at the H&M store where injured victims were located.

“Instead of targeting me on what I did or didn’t do, perhaps the Allen Police can explain why it took 20 minutes to get to the front of the H&M store, where there were injured victims, if they were already on site, before I got there,” Spainhouer stated.

As the investigations continue, the unfolding public dispute between Spainhouer and the Allen Police Department underscores the complexity of the situation and the importance of accurately documenting and reporting such tragic events.