As country mourns, Allied Universal issues condolences and a statement

IRVINE, Calif. – The country is reeling following the aftermath of a brutal mass shooting that occurred at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas, on May 6.

Nine people were killed in the incident, including the shooter, and at least seven others injured. Among those killed was 20-year-old security professional Christian LaCour, a member of the Allied Universal team.

The company issued the following statement about LaCour:

“The Allied Universal® team lost one of its own during a mass shooting in Allen, Texas, on May 6, 2023. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Christian LaCour, our security professional who was tragically killed while protecting the customers and employees of the Allen Premium Outlets. All other security professionals assigned to the location are safe, accounted for and being offered grief counseling and additional support. Security professionals from nearby areas are commended for covering their shifts so they can grieve and begin to heal. Allied Universal’s top priority is safety – the safety of our team members and the communities we serve. Our thoughts go out to the victims, their loved ones and the community of Allen.”

The industry’s connection to the tragedy run deeper than normal in this incident as the shooter, 33-year-old Mauricio Martinez Garcia, was also previously a security guard, working for three different companies in Texas briefly before having his licenses expire in 2020.

Despite that, or perhaps because of that, Allied Universal Global CEO Steve Jones also weighed in on recent shootings and their portrayal in the media:

“Security guards are unsung heroes who run to danger instead of away from it. It takes a brave, selfless person to move in danger’s direction. To protect others before protecting themselves.

“When danger arises, they are first on the scene – even before first responders. Last May, one of our security professionals lost his life when a gunman opened fire in a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. He was a 30-year veteran of the Buffalo Police Department. This weekend, one of our security professionals was tragically killed in the line of duty while protecting shoppers and employees in Allen, Texas. This young man suffered a senseless death in sacrifice to others. All too often, the media reports negative stories about security guards as part of an agenda that I struggle to understand. They don’t report on the heroic actions of security guards. The lives saved. The plots thwarted. The crimes deterred.

“In just the last few months, our security guards have administered life-saving medical aid, extinguished fires, foiled human trafficking, prevented suicides and removed firearms from public spaces. Security guards aren’t perfect. They’re human like all of us. Focusing solely on their faults and flaws is unbalanced and is a disservice to the importance of public safety. This is a call to reexamine how society views and portrays the millions of men and women who work every day to make the world safer.”

Jones concluded by saying, “To security guards reading this: There is no greater purpose than safeguarding customers, communities and people. You serve a great purpose. I’m proud of you. You are valued. Thank you.”

The Allen, Texas, outlet mall shooting marks the second in as many weeks in the state, where previously on April 30 a man opened fire on his neighbors, killing five in Cleveland, Texas. In May of 2022 the state was also the site of one of the country’s most deadly school shootings when an assailant killed 21 people in Uvalde, Texas.