TWO people were hurt in a shooting at Minnesota's Mall of America on Friday evening, and police were searching for a gunman.
Bloomington police said that the scene was secured around 6pm, about an hour after a police officer heard a gunshot at the busy shopping center.
"We are on scene of a shooting incident at (Mall of America)," Bloomingtonpolice said in statement.
"Two injured with non life threatening injuries. We are no longer looking for the suspect at the MOA."
The police department said in an update late Friday that the officer who heard the gunshot found a man who suffered a bullet wound to the leg.
He was taken to a local hospital while a second man, a bystander who was grazed by a bullet, was treated for minor injuries then released at the scene.
"At this time the shooting does not appear to be random," police said in the update.
"It is likely the victim and suspect are known to each other."
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When asked how a gun ended up inside the mall, police told reporters that guns are not allowed in the building but there are no searches or metal detectors.
The police department was working to review "extensive" security camera footage from inside the mall, according to WCCO reporter Kirsten Mitchell.
Andrew, who was in the mall at the time of the shooting, told The Sun that he was in a restaurant on the opposite side of the mall from where the shooting reportedly happened but same floor.
"We saw people running outside the restaurant and then one of the employees shuttered the gate," he said.
"We’ve heard a few announcements and buzzers since then but we’re not getting regular updates. I suspect that the restaurant employees aren’t either. I saw on Twitter that the suspect fled so we’re just waiting for further updates."
The mall went on lockdown for about an hour. Around 6pm local time, Andrew told The Sun that they're allowed to move around again.
Minnesota Public Radio reporter Tim Nelson, who's on scene, tweeted, "Security is telling @mallofamerica patrons the mall is closing, in wake of reported shooting. Telling everyone to leave at request of Bloomington police."
Other New Year's Eve shoppers have taken to Twitter to say they've been told to shelter-in-place and posted pictures of people locked in stores and shared videos of police and first responders running into the mall.
One person said on Twitter, "And Mall of America is on lockdown and now I’m in the back of a Sephora."
Another Tweet simply said, "I am stuck at #mallofamerica. We are scared to death."
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