Three “people of interest” were detained, according to police.
Ten people were injured by gunfire following a shooting incident at the Columbiana Centre mall in Columbia, South Carolina, Saturday afternoon, according to police.
The incident took place around 2:28 p.m., and officers responded to the scene and began going store to store evacuating people, police said. The gunshot victims’ ages ranged from 15 to 75 years old, Columbia Police Chief William Holbrook told reporters at a news conference later in the evening.
As of Saturday evening, two of the victims were in critical but stable condition, Holbrook said.
“What is important is that we have no fatalities,” he told reporters.
Two other people were injured during the stampede following the incident, Holbrook said.
The chief said that three individuals who he classified as “people of interest” were detained. The unidentified individuals were seen armed and at least one of them allegedly fired a shot, according to Holbrook.
“We don’t believe this was random,” he said. “We believe the individuals who were armed knew each other.”
Store owners locked down and sheltered people in place as the police swept through the shopping center, Holbrook said. They are being reunited with their friends and family members.
Columbiana Centre tweeted a statement saying the violent incident was “extremely upsetting and our thoughts are with everyone impacted.”
“We are grateful for the quick response and continued support of our security team and our partners in law enforcement,” the mall said in a statement.
The investigation is ongoing. Holbrook asked anyone with video or information related to the shooting to call the police.
“We know a lot of different people saw a lot of different things. We’re asking them to take a moment, clear your thoughts and contact law enforcement,” he said.
