'Flip or Flop' Stars Tarek and Christina El Moussa Explain How They Still Plan to Work Together Following Spli

Tarek and Christina El Moussa are opening up about their shocking separation.

The Flip or Flop stars announced on Monday that they've been separated since May, after an incident in which police were called to their Orange County, California, home. In a new interview, the two share that although they've both dated other people since they split months ago, they plan to continue their popular HGTV show by "being professional."

"We have both dated other people following the separation, but neither of us is ready to announce anything in terms of another relationship," Tarek and Christina tellPeople.

WATCH: Tarek and Christina El Moussa's Shocking Split -- Everything We Know About the 'Flip or Flop' Couple

"We plan to continue our professional life together by being professional, by doing our jobs well, by being prepared and by working hard," the former couple adds.

Tarek and Christina say the decision to separate was for the best interests of their two children, 6-year-old daughter Taylor and 1-year-old son Brayden.

"We decided to separate while we reevaluated the next steps in our married life," they state. "We believed this was in the best interests of the children and the best way to determine a path forward."

"The most difficult part of the decision to separate was the kids," they continue. "We want the best for them, and we're doing everything we can to ensure that."

The reality stars also reinforce that the incident in May, in which Sheriff's personnel responded to a call of a possibly suicidal male with a gun, was a misunderstanding. Tarek, 35, says his "intentions were misread."

"Tarek was going on a hike and took a gun for protection from mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and rattlesnakes," the two explain.

According to documents obtained by ET, a witness told police he saw Tarek run out of his back door, jump over his back fence and walk northbound into the hiking trails of the Chino Hills State Park at the time. The witness alleged that Christina then came running to the residence, shaking and in tears. Christina allegedly told the witness that Tarek took a handgun, put it in his backpack and ran outside.

Tarek later told deputies he had no intention of hurting himself and did not make any suicidal comments. He claimed he went hiking to "blow off some steam," but took his gun for safety due to the mountain lions and rattlesnakes in the area. He also agreed to voluntarily relinquish all of his firearms for 30 days, and deputies removed five guns from his safe.

WATCH: 'Flip or Flop' Stars Tarek and Christina El Moussa Separate After Cops Are Called to Their Home Months Ago

Meanwhile, it appears both Tarek and Christina are returning to normal life. Christina was spotted at a mall in Yorba Linda, California, on Tuesday, the first sighting of the 33-year-old mother of two since the couple's confirmation that they split on Monday. Christina looked "subdued," an eyewitness told ET, keeping her head down and sunglasses on.

Watch below:

'Flip or Flop' Star Christina El Moussa Seen Out for the First Time Since Split From Husband Tarek

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