A fatal shooting occurred at a Washington State mall during a Halloween event on Thursday night, resulting in one death and two injuries. The incident took place on the second floor of the Vancouver Mall’s food court around 7:30 p.m. PST, causing panic among shoppers who quickly fled the scene.
The Vancouver Police Department confirmed that two individuals were injured and transported to a local hospital, but their conditions remain unknown. The department also assured the public that there was no active threat inside the mall and that officers were reaching out to those who had taken shelter within the premises. They promised to release more information as it becomes available.
The shooting occurred during the mall’s annual Halloween event, “Boo-tacular Trick-or-Treating.” This event invites community members of all ages to dress up in costumes and visit participating stores for candy. The event was scheduled to conclude at 8 p.m.
One eyewitness, a father who had just finished trick-or-treating with his family, was at the mall’s Round1 bowling alley when people began to flee. He quickly gathered his children and moved them to safety. “I grabbed my two kids and put them behind me,” Gregory Iiams recounted to local media.
Details about the shooter and the victims have not been released by officials. The Vancouver Mall, a large shopping complex spanning 880,000 square feet with over 140 stores, is situated 7 miles north of the Columbia River, which forms the border between Washington State and Portland, Oregon.