At least three people were injured by gunfire during an apparent brawl at a food court in a Delaware mall on Saturday night, according to state police.
Police were called to the Christiana Mall in Newark around 6:43 p.m. local time on Saturday, where they found three individuals with gunshot wounds in the food court area. They were all taken to area hospitals, two of them in critical condition, it said Delaware State Police Senior Cpl. Jason Hatchel.
Five other people were also taken to a hospital after suffering “several injuries not related to gunfire,” the corporal said.
There was no suspect in custody on Saturday night in the shooting, Hatchell said, adding that “it has not been confirmed how many suspects were involved. Detectives are actively working to identify the suspects.”
The shooting was not random, Hatchell said.
“Detectives believe this is the result of an altercation between several suspects and at least one of the victims,” Hatchell said.
With the investigation still in its infancy, Hatchell said it’s not known if the victims and suspects knew each other before.
The shooting prompted police to evacuate and close the mall when police arrived on the scene, which was searched and cleared.
“There is no threat to public safety,” the corporal said on Saturday.
Investigators were still on site to collect evidence, review surveillance videos and speak to witnesses on Saturday, and the mall will remain closed on Sunday as the investigation continues, Hatchell said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misrepresented the location of the incident. It’s the Christiana Mall.
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