Police in Beachwood confirmed about 5:40 p.m. March 17 that the Beachwood Place mall remains on lock down as police investigate a shooting that happened about 2:30 p.m.
Police Chief Gary Haba said one person was shot, the victim was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.
Police say that victim is in stable condition and they are still investigating what happened.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Storefront Gates were Lowered on all Stores and the Mall Evacuated
According to Fox 8 Cleveland, “an eyewitness on the scene at the mall reports that at around 3 p.m., some type of disturbance caused the mall to be locked down. The storefront gates were lowered on all the stores, and the mall was allegedly evacuated. Stores were closed.”
According to WKYC, Beachwood Police Chief Gary Haba says the shooting victim is in stable condition, and that the victim and the shooter likely knew each other.
Cleveland 19 reports, “the dispatcher said two people were taken to the hospital, but the dispatcher was not sure if the people transported to the hospital were related to the shooting.”
Beachwood Place spokeswoman Marissa Ellenby replied in an email that the event today is “an ongoing investigation and all queries should be directed to the Beachwood PD,” Cleveland.com reports.
2. There Was Another Shooting Outside Beachwood Place Last Year
Last year around this same time, one person was injured after a shooting in a similar incident outside of Beachwood Place, reports Fox 8.
According to Beachwood Police Chief Gary Haba, one victim was identified, but that person was not at the scene when police arrived. The person was in stable condition.
“There have been a few incidents over the last several years, but they seem to be spaced apart; they are definitely not related. The mall security and our presence up here.. it’s a safe place. Any time you have a mall or some type of entity like this, you’re going to have things happen; it could happen anywhere,” Chief Haba told FOX 8’s Kevin Freeman.
3. Concerned Twitter Users Flooded Social Media, Looking for News
After news broke of the shooting, Twitter lit up with people searching for news of loved ones who were shopping at the mall earlier that day.
Many local residents complained that the mall was becoming increasingly more dangerous, referencing the shooting that took place around the same time last year and blaming the bus service for bringing trouble to the mall.
Many were stuck in the mall, wondering what was happening after the stores went into lock down, while others took to social media to let their loved ones know that they were okay.
According to Cleveland.com, Lakewood resident Laura Cowan had finished up shopping with her daughter and was walking through Saks Fifth Avenue to get to their car when an associate ran towards them yelling, “shooter, shooter, shooter.”
Cowan and her daughter ran back into the mall area ducked into LUSH Cosmetics. An employee pulled down the security gate and they all hunkered down in the storage room, Cowan said, reports Cleveland.com
4. Shoppers Hid in Bathrooms After Hearing Gunshots that Sounded Like “Balloons Popping”
According to Fox 8, A.J. Barner, who was inside of the mall with his friends, hid in a bathroom with several others during the lock down. Many were inside of the mall for fifteen minutes to an hour.
“My heart was beating pretty fast, scary,” said Barner.
Some witnesses said they heard gunshots, reports Fox 8.
“My mom was like let’s go outside again and the minute she said that it was like boom and I’m thinking like it’s popping balloons, someone popping balloons I was shook and then I felt something in my knee and was like that’s a gun shot somebody just shot again,” said Lacey Beard, who was inside of the mall with her mom and siblings.
Others were concerned that they could no longer feel safe, even at a mall.
“The mall is supposed to be a safe place you don’t want to feel like you go there and be in fear of your life,” explained Rashad Ferguson who saw crowds run toward exits.
5. Police Were Investigating a Possible Second Incident as Well as the Shooting
According to Fox 8, police explained they went from store to store to account for everyone inside of the mall. They also were investigating a possible second incident incident, but as of Saturday night had no details.
There was still a strong police presence outside of Beachwood Place and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation remained on location, as of Saturday evening, reports Fox 8.
“It has me thankful because you know you never know when something might happen when you see it on the news, but when you’re actually in the situation it’s just crazy, so close to you,” said Nicholas Contes told Fox 8.
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