WYLIE (WBAP/KLIF News ) – The Collin County community came together at the Cross Church in Wylie last night to honor the lives of two young victims of the mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets Mall on May 6th.
11-year-old Daniela Mendoza and 8-year-old Sofia Mendoza were among the eight victims killed. Their mother IIda Mendoza was wounded and is still hospitalized.
The girls’ parents issued a statement thanking all the teachers, school administrators and friends at Cheri Cox elementary school for all the support and for showing them the quote “Wylie way.”
Alex and IIda Mendoza also thanked staff at Medical City in McKinney and first responders.
The statement reads in part: “Sofia and Daniela were our whole world. They were incredibly loved since we knew of their existence. the only thing that gives our grieving hearts peace is that we know one day we will be together again.”
A GoFundMe account set up to help pay for funeral expenses has raised more than $300,000.
GoFundMe also has a centralized link to raise money for all of the victims.
In addition to the Mendoza sisters, the Cho family: Kyu, Cindy and their 3-year-old son James, 32-year-old Elio Cumana-Rivas, 27-year-old Aishwarya Thatikonda and 20-year-old Christian LaCour were also killed.
The gunman was shot and killed by an Allen police officer. Investigators are looking into the motive behind the attack.
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