Sound of falling sign sparks fear at Utah mall
Police say panic spread briefly through a Utah mall after a falling sign made a gunshot-like sound, reflecting widespread anxiety after recent back-to-back mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.
The Deseret News reports no one was hurt and a search found no shooter at Valley Fair Mall Tuesday night.
West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku says shoppers went running after someone yelled “shots!” when a sign fell over during a concert at the mall.
Word spread, and police arrived to find people running for the exits or hiding inside stores. Officers made a handful of arrests when fights broke out amid the chaos.
Vainuku says officers finished clearing the mall and determined there was no safety threat within about 20 minutes.
