One person was killed and two others injured in a shooting at Vancouver Mall’s food court around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to police. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots and rushed for exits while others took cover.
Initial reports indicated the shooter was dressed in black and wore a clown mask, last seen running toward JCPenney. By late Thursday, the shooter remained at large.
The mall was hosting a Halloween event when, according to police, an unidentified individual opened fire in the food court, killing one person and injuring two others. The conditions of the injured were not immediately known.
By around 8:30 p.m., Vancouver police announced the mall was secure, posting on X that there was “no active threat.”
Detectives began reviewing video footage to identify the suspect at the mall, located near the I-205 and SR 500 interchange, home to over 125 stores including Macy’s, H&M, Hobby Lobby, and JCPenney.
Jadyn Christy, a Vancouver resident, was on the mall’s second floor when he heard multiple gunshots. His pregnant girlfriend, her 4-year-old son, and a friend with a child were inside a nearby store. Reacting quickly, he rushed inside, warning them to leave as people scrambled in panic.
"It was chaos," he recalled, describing how people fled, knocking over displays as they escaped. Outside, people gathered in confusion, with some still entering the mall despite his warnings about an active shooter.
The mall’s “evening trick-or-treating” event had started at 5 p.m. and was set to conclude at 8 p.m.
Elliott Hunt, another mall-goer near the Round1 Bowling & Arcade on the second floor, initially thought loud noises from the food court were unrelated. But when he heard additional shots, followed by screams, he and his friends, including a parent with young children, rushed to exit. Crowds clogged the doors, forcing his friend to abandon a stroller and carry his child to safety.
Outside, Hunt saw a heavy police presence, with tactical officers, fire trucks, and ambulances.
He later contacted a friend working in a first-floor pet store; she reported sheltering in a locked back room for over an hour before police led her and others to safety.
Reflecting on the incident, Hunt said it was alarming to know that violence had occurred so close. "People were just there trying to have fun," he remarked.
Vancouver police later allowed anyone who had sheltered in place to leave through any exit and set up a reunification point near Hobby Lobby. Authorities continued securing the mall on Thursday night and requested anyone with information on the shooting to contact the Vancouver Police Department tip line at (360) 487-7399.
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