The Raleigh Police Department is still investigating after gunshots were reported inside Crabtree Valley Mall Saturday afternoon. Deck-Brown said the investigation was continuing but left open the possibility that no actual shots were fired at all.
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Eight people – ranging in ages from 10 to 70 – were transported to area hospitals for minor injuries, mainly from falls, while trying to exit the mall after the reported gunshots, police said. She said she knew it was time to go when “all he people were running”.
At this point, there have not been any arrests and there have been no reports of injuries. They quickly ran into the store with dozens of others. The owner of a clothing store called Casanova said he saw a shooting unfold after an argument in the mall’s food court.
The mall was locked down after shots were fired near the food court about 2:30 p.m., police said.
One man told the local news outlet that he heard about five or six shots while shopping with his family, calling the incident “the scariest thing I went through in my life”.
A witness told WTVD that she was in the mall’s food court with her children when she heard “something pop”.
An interstate exit to reach the mall was closed. Witnesses described seeing or hearing gunshots, followed by pandemonium.
Richardson said he was standing at the entrance to his store when he saw the men, who appeared to be in their early 20s, arguing.
Photos are emerging of at least one person being carried from the mall, although it is not clear if they are injured.
“Then they let us out”, she said.
Deck-Brown said at her news conference that the mall had been emptied and people weren’t being allowed back inside in the hours after the shooting.
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He said: “Panic at Crabtree valley mall as crowds run for the doors”.
