ALLEN, Texas — Warning: This story may contain disturbing audio.
The first release of 911 and dispatch calls from the mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets mall reveal 911 operators flooded with hundreds of simultaneous calls for help from frightened victims and witnesses -- while also trying to wade through the chaos to help police find the shooter.
Operators received so many calls that they often resorted to asking immediately if the caller was a victim or was with someone who was a victim. If not, the operators tried to manage the next urgent phone call.
Operators can also be heard what sounds like them their own calls back to callers who had previously hung up on them.
"Witness where are they at? Do you have eyes on the shooter?" a 911 operator can be heard asking a caller. "Sir, do you have eyes on the shooter?"
"He is in front of Perry Ellis, walking northwest," the caller answered.
The calls create an apparent path the gunman took, starting in front of H&M rounding the corner and heading to the northwest: a trip of roughly 300 yards.
"Allen 911, are you calling about the shooting?" an operator asked.
"Yes, we have a victim," a caller said. "In Boutique 632. It's the suite number 632. It's Francesca's."
"We have help on the way, and we do have medics in the area right now," the operator said.
The release of the 911 calls shows that they continued long after the gunman was shot dead outside Fatburger. Investigators have said the entire shooting spree lasted approximately four minutes until the gunman was killed by an Allen police officer.
In the chaos, people continued to call, asking if it was OK to come out of hiding.
"We're hiding in the store. So should we come out?" a caller asked in a quiet, hushed voice.
"You're going to stay right where you're at until you hear the police officer say you can come out. Okay?" the operator replied.
"Okay," the caller responded.
"Okay. Just stay right where you are," the operator said. "And if anything else happens or anyone is hurt, you, call us back. But they are already clearing out stores. They'll be with you as fast as they can."
WFAA reached out to the Allen Police Department and DPS Monday for an update on the investigation but have not heard back. Meanwhile, WFAA continues to comb through hours of 911 and dispatch calls to see what else they might reveal.