At least three people were injured, with at least one critically injured, in a shooting at the Independence Center shopping complex on Friday in Independence, Missouri, police said.
The shooting happened in a breezeway situated at an entrance off of East 39th Street S, according to Jack Taylor, a spokesperson for the Independence Police Department.
It wasn't immediately clear what led to the violence.
Police later said the situation had been stabilized, and said a pickup location was established at a nearby car wash located at the northeast corner of the mall.
Taylor said police detained several people at the scene, trying to learn more information and to identify a suspect.
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Independence Police said the department was investigating the shooting and told people in the are if they are trying to pick up family members who might be in the mall, they should go to the pick up location.
It was not immediately clear if the scene was being investigated as a possible active shooting situation. The shooting reportedly happened at around 2:30 p.m. local time.
Police urged the public to contact them with any information that could lead to finding a suspect or suspects. The department also urged the public not to call 911, as dispatchers were inundated with calls about the incident. Police said they would update the public on social media with developments in the investigation.
There have been multiple shooting incidents in recent years at the same mall.
In 2020 police said around 300 juveniles were involved in an incident there, and multiple people were detained after fights broke out. Police said there has been a "zero tolerance" policy put in place at the mall.
This story was originally published by David Medina at Scripps News Kansas City, with additional reporting from Douglas Jones at Scripps News.
