Florida shooting: One dead, several injured after gunman opens fire at shopping mall
First responders are shown at the scene of a shooting at the Paddock Mall in Ocala
One person was reported killed and another injured after a gunman opened fire at a shopping mall in Florida on Saturday (Dec 23).
The authorities said they were responding to “an active shooting” at the Paddock mall in Ocala, located about 80 miles north-west of Orlando, on the day before Christmas Eve.
The incident took place on Saturday at around 3:40 pm.
The police said the gunman fled the mall after what they described as a “targeted” attack on the victim.
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken told the media that a male victim of the shooting incident was found dead in a common area of the mall after he was shot multiple times.
A woman was also shot in the leg.
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Watch:1 dead, multiple people injured in shooting at Florida shopping mall
Several other mall patrons also suffered injuries during the shooting, with one person having chest pain and another reporting a broken arm, the police chief added.
The mall was packed with shoppers ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities when the incident happened.
"Officers immediately made entry into the mall (and) ultimately discovered that this was not what we would consider an active shooter," Balken was quoted as telling the media.
The police chief said the mall will be kept closed for the next 12 hours as the investigation takes place.
He also urged witnesses to come forward as police launch a hunt for the suspect.
A woman, who runs a store in the mall, later said that she had informed the police about the shooter in the mall.
Calvin and Diana Amos, who were shopping in the JCPenney store inside the mall, told the Ocala StarBanner media outlet that they evacuated the store quickly once they figured out what was going on. They described themselves as scared and apprehensive.
(With inputs from agencies)