Allen Texas Shooting

I have a strange association with the site where the recent Allen, Tx shooting occurred.  Almost 40 years ago I started my real estate career as a commercial agent.  I partnered up with a fellow agent and we decided to get into raw land sales north of Plano.  While we were driving around learning the area we saw a tiny, two bedroom farmhouse right in the middle of a 100 acre cotton field at the NWC of Central Expressway (Hwy 75) and Stacy Rd in Allen, Tx.  There was nothing else around, and I mean nothing.

We debated whether to knock on the door or not.  What were the chances the owner  really lived in that tiny home?  But I convinced my partner to drive up the long chalk road.  Worst case, we could find out who the owner was.  As it turns out, the owners did live there and they were two of the nicest people you’d ever meet.  

The agent I partnered up with remained in commercial land and I moved on.  He ended up selling that tract three times if I’m not mistaken.  The owners would take the down payment, the buyer would eventually default, then they’d take it back again and resell it.  Eventually the site turned into the highly successful Allen Premium Outlet Mall, a main attraction for Allen.

I’ve avoided driving by the outlet mall until today and saw the impromptu memorial.  Those were eight innocent people just enjoying themselves shopping who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time through no fault of their own.  What is wrong with our society?