In a tense incident on Friday evening, a shooting occurred at Arizona Mills Mall in Tempe, Arizona, prompting a significant police response and causing considerable alarm among shoppers. The incident took place around 7:30 p.m. near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Baseline Road.
According to the police, the situation was not categorized as an active shooter event, and fortunately, no injuries were reported. Initially described as a “shooting incident,” the circumstances leading up to the event remain unclear, and investigators are working to determine the details of what happened.
The presence of numerous police officers and deputies from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office was evident as they arrived at the scene, securing various exits of the mall to manage the situation. The swift response aimed to ensure public safety and control the area.
Eyewitness accounts reveal the immediate panic experienced by shoppers. Two teenagers, who found themselves in the midst of the chaos, recounted their fear and the instinctive actions they took to protect themselves. “We just saw people running down the hall and we went into the back room and we heard there was a shooting in the dining hall,” one of them shared. Another added, “I was just like scared. I saw people running so I was freaked out. I didn’t know what was going on, so I just like hid back there.”
The exact location within the mall where the shooting occurred and the motive behind it are still under investigation. The Tempe Police Department has advised the public to avoid the area as they continue their work on this active investigation. A Public Information Officer (PIO) is en route, and media staging will be set up to provide further updates.
For now, the focus remains on ensuring public safety and gathering more information about the incident.
