Three people were wounded during a shooting inside a California mall on Black Friday as shoppers barricaded themselves inside stores and fled for safety during the "complete chaos."
The shooting began outside a Macy's store at the Westfield Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara at around 5:40 p.m, according toKRON4.
The victims – a 16-year-old girl, a man, and a woman – were found at the scene and rushed to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.
The shooting was described as an "isolated incident," and there was no active threat to the public, theSan Jose Police Department said.
A motive behind the shooting was not revealed, but officials believe it happened during an argument between the suspected gunman and the male victim.
The two female victims were caught in the crossfire,KRON4 reported.
The gunman fled the scene and police have not revealed a description of the suspect.
Westfield Valley Fair sits between the cities of Santa Clara and San Jose, 50 miles south of San Francisco in the Bay Area.
Frightened shoppers recalled "complete chaos" while others posted photos and videos across social media as they hid inside stores when the gunfire erupted in the busy mall.
"The moment I see people running, the three of us just started sprinting," one mall visitor named Daniel Chen told the outlet.
"There were crowds and swarms of people. I was terrified. We were freaking out. Everyone was just screaming. It was complete chaos — it was crazy. I was making sure that the three of us were together and that we weren't leaving each other behind, and we were making sure that we're not going where the shooter was. We were making sure we were following the crowd and making sure we could find an exit and get out."
Police evacuated the mall an hour after the shooting. The mall was scheduled to close at 10 p.m. before the shooting.
"Officers are evacuating and clearing the mall to confirm there is no ongoing threat to public safety," the police department shared.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan reacted to the news Friday night.
"This is not the news I wanted to share with you this holiday weekend. My prayers are with these victims and I know our officers are doing everything they can to find the person responsible and hold them accountable," Mahanwrote on X.
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) offered assistance to the city after the shooting.
"Praying for the victims at Valley Fair Mall and those locked down. Grateful for all the first responders including San Jose police. In touch with [Mayor Mahan] to see if the federal government can provide any assistance," Khanna wrote on X.
