At least 3 people were shot during a confrontation at a mall food court in Delaware, police say
By Artemis Moshtaghian, Joe Sutton and Rebekah Riess, CNN
At least 3 people were wounded by gunfire during an apparent fight at a Delaware mall food court Saturday evening, according to state police.
Police were called to the Christiana Mall in Newark around 6:43 p.m. local time Saturday, where they found three individuals with gunshot wounds in the area of the food court. They were all taken to area hospitals, two of them in critical condition, said Delaware State Police Senior Cpl. Jason Hatchell.
Five other people were also taken to a hospital after they “sustained various injuries not related to gunfire,” the corporal said.
No shooting suspect was in custody Saturday night, Hatchell said, adding that “it has not been confirmed how many suspects were involved. Investigators are actively working to identify the suspects.”
The shooting was not a random one, Hatchell said.
“Investigators believe this is a result of an altercation between several suspects and at least one of the victims,” Hatchell said.
With the investigation still in its early stages, Hatchell said it’s unknown whether any of the victims and suspects knew each other previously.
The shooting prompted police to evacuate and close the mall as law enforcement converged on the scene, which was searched and cleared.
“There is no threat to public safety,” the corporal said later Saturday.
Investigators were still on scene collecting evidence, examining surveillance video and speaking with witnesses Saturday, and the the mall will stay closed Sunday as the investigation continues, Hatchell said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the location of the incident. It is the Christiana Mall.
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