Gunshot sent shoppers fleeing Las Vegas mall; no injuries

LAS VEGAS – A gunshot fired inside a mall on the Las Vegas Strip sent panicked shoppers racing toward exits and drew a heavy police response, but no one was injured.

The shot prompted an evacuation Monday evening at the Fashion Show mall, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported . The preliminary investigation indicated one shot was fired as a fight broke up, police said.

Authorities did not say whether anyone had been arrested.

Las Vegas resident Kelly Chacon, who was shopping with her mother, said they started rushing to get out of the mall after seeing people frantically running. She said she did not hear a gunshot but heard people yelling that there was an active shooter, she said.

“To me, honestly, it just felt like everything just blanked out, and you were just in the moment, and you were just trying to run and get out of there as soon as possible,” Chacon said.

Chacon and a group of others crammed inside an elevator. One woman told the group to start praying no matter their religion, Chacon said. She tried to stay calm and reassure her mother that they were going to be fine, she said. They made it out and crossed the street.

Officers, some wearing tactical gear, blocked mall entrances for hours Monday night. Police vehicles were lined up on the north side of the shopping centre.

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Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com