Child Among Those Wounded in North Carolina Mall Shooting

A North Carolina mall was evacuated Friday after multiple people were wounded in a second-floor shooting.

According to CNN, the incident took place at around 3:23 p.m. local time at The Streets at Southpoint in Durham. Authorities said officers were inside the packed shopping center when they heard the shots fired. The Durham Police Department confirmed responding officers located three people who were struck during the shooting. Though the victims’ identities have not been revealed, police said one of them was a 10-year-old “who suffered a bullet ricochet injury.” All victims have reportedly been treated for non-life-threatening injuries. 

Hadley Connell, a shopper who was at the food court during the incident, recalled the chaos that ensued once the shots were fired.

“The gun sounds were followed by what sounded like a wave of rain on a tin roof as everyone started screaming, running, and pushing each other,” Connell said. “We ran toward the mall bathrooms near the food court as people were stampeding, and a few security guards started to realize what was happening. The security directed us down an employee hallway and stairwell as they tried to help the elderly and people with children get out of the building. We then ran to the other side of the mall complex parking lot, and we’re stuck in our parking space as everyone tries to evacuate.”

Police said the shooting did not appear to be random, as it began during an argument between two groups of people. Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews said the people involved in the shooting immediately fled the scene; however, authorities managed to take one individual into custody and recover one weapon. Police are now investigating witnesses as they prepare to make arrests.

“We will be making several arrests, I’m certain, during the course of this investigation,” Andrews told reporters. “… Shootings in this city have got to stop. It’s got to stop.”

Police shut down the mall for the rest of Black Friday, but said it’s expect to reopen Saturday.