A 21-year-old man is dead and two people – including a 12-year-old girl – have been hospitalised after a Thanksgiving night shooing at a mall in the US state of Alabama. The incident occurred around 9.30pm local time at the Riverchase Galleria, a large suburban mall south of the city of Birmingham.
Police allege that a fight broke out between the 21-year-old alleged gunman and an 18-year-old man, who was thought to be unarmed, although the source of the confrontation is unknown. The gunman opened fire, shooting the teen twice in the torso; he then fled and was pursued by an armed security guard, who shot him dead.
A 12-year-old girl, described by police as a bystander, was also shot, although local police say it is unclear by whom. Both the victims were hospitalised, with the girl being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, and the boy’s condition described as serious.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with staff attempting to help panicked customers find shelter and evacuate. Local woman Lexie Joyner told WBRC:
“They (put) us in supply closets and locked the doors. And then we sat there for five to 10 minutes, all freaking out. And then they opened the escape-route doors, and we escaped through the escape-route doors.”
The mall, the largest in Alabama, closed for the rest of the night, but opened again before dawn for Black Friday sales events. The security officer who fatally shot the 21-year-old man has been placed on leave.
