Police are searching for a gunman who opened fire Friday at a mall in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, injuring 8, numerous sources reported.
Witnesses inside Mayfair Mall said they heard roughly 8 to 12 gunshots at around 2:50 p.m. near the mall’s entrance by Macy’s, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Massive police presence outside Mayfair. Witness who was inside mall says she ran after being told by security guards said there was an active shooting inside Macy’s pic.twitter.com/xhW3JUrLRm
— Ben Jordan (@BenJordan3) November 20, 2020
Witnesses described the gunman as a white male in his 20s or 30s, and Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber said the shooter “was no longer at the scene” when law enforcement arrived, according to the Associated Press.
“Investigators are working on determining the identity of that suspect,” he added.
The eight victims were reportedly all alive when authorities arrived at the scene, but the extent of the injuries was unclear. Weber told the Sentinel that he was not aware of any fatalities. (RELATED: REPORT: TV Presenter Becomes Person Of Interest After Guest Kills Himself Due To Failing Lie Detector Test)
Some people ran toward exits and other areas of the mall after hearing the gunshots. Weber said authorities did not know whether the shooter was still in the mall when emergency personnel arrived, according to the Sentinel.
One woman said she was in the mall when a stranger grabbed her arm and told her to leave because there was an active shooter, and saw people swarming towards their cars to try and escape.
WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN – NOVEMBER 20: Police secure the scene outside the Mayfair Mall after a gunman opened fire on November 20, 2020 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Several people were reported to have been injured with the gunman still at large. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“I was shaking and crying, and I am still crying,” Samantha Paul told the Sentinel. “I am so thankful she grabbed me.”
FBI agents cleared the mall and more than 100 officers and agents were at the scene. Weber said the mall is an active crime scene and would remain closed until further notice, according to the AP.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more details become available.