A shelter-in-place order was called in San Jose following an early evening shooting, sending the police in a search for a shooter and victim at the Westfield Oakridge Mall, authorities said, KPIX reported.
The shooting happened as a crowd of people was busy Christmas shopping inside a mall in the South Bay.
In a Twitter post after 6 in the evening, the San Jose Police Department media relations said that their units were at the location of the said shooting, specifically on the 900 block of Blossom Hill Road.
Authorities said that the initial report of the incident came at around 5:45 in the afternoon.
A large number of police officers as well as a SWAT team were seen responding around the area. Also present were the San Jose Fire units and ambulances. The shelter-in-place was ordered among mall customers.
Police confirmed shortly that a victim sustained gunshot injuries, but did not provide more information regarding the individual’s identity and condition.
According to reports that surfaced on social media, the movie screenings in the mall were stopped when the shooting happened and customers were requested to leave.
Shortly before 6:30 in the evening, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a tweet that the case does not “appear to involve an active shooter.”
A shelter-in-place was ordered in the area but people started exiting the mall as of 6:42 in the afternoon.
In a tweet, police clarified at about 7 in the evening that “initial updates of a victim in the mall that was shot have not been substantiated.”
They, however, confirmed at 8 p.m. that a conflict happened close to Forever 21 clothing establishment at the mall.
According to the police, they arrived at an active scene and evidence supports the occurrence of the shooting. But authorities were not able to locate either the suspect or the victim.
Clearing operations continue at the mall while officers search for the shooter and the victim. The scene is yet to be secured, police said, and authorities were doing a systematic search of the mall.
