Shortly after gunmen opened fire at Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday afternoon, Steven Spainhauer swung into action.
When gunshots were heard around 3:30 p.m., the Spanish Hours went desperately to the aid of the wounded and dead. May 6th.
He said the victims had injuries so horrific that they had to be loaded into police cars because ambulances could not get them to a nearby trauma facility fast enough.
When asked if he thought he saved lives, Spainhauer said he was not sure, but he knew three people died.
He said he arrived at the shopping center after getting a call from his son that there had been a shooting outside the H&M store where he worked.
“My heart sank when so many shots were fired.” They said. “I was on the 911 call and they were saying there were mass casualties.”
Spainhauer said he arrived before paramedics and tried to save his life while bystanders recorded video of the body on the ground.
He said, “Never in 100 years did I think that I would be put in the position of being a first responder in the field to take care of people.” “The first girl I approached was curled up in the bushes with her head down so I felt her pulse racing and I pulled her head to one side and she was faceless.”
Spainhauer said they also found a living child under the care of a protective mother who had been killed.
“I put my mom down and she came out. I asked if she was okay and she said, ‘mom is hurt, mom is hurt’. So instead of jolting her, I put her in a corner pulled up and he was covered from head to toe. ..somebody told him it was like bleeding.”
Spainhauer said what he saw Saturday would haunt him for the rest of his life.
“Nobody can see what we saw today and may not be affected by it,” he said. “It is not a situation I want anyone to be in. It is unimaginable to see the carnage.”
Spainhauer’s son said the injured included two customers inside the H&M store. “It’s tough when you see families shopping, playing and being wiped off the face of the earth because someone with a gun is a different kind of problem.”