A shooting occurred Thursday evening at the sprawling American Dream mall in East Rutherford, with one person reportedly injured and the suspect apparently remaining at large.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said on Twitter that he was briefed on the shooting and that the New Jersey State Police had set up a command post at the 3.5 million-square-foot retail, entertainment and dining complex in Bergen County.
“We are closely monitoring the situation, and are praying for those impacted,” Murphy said. “The public is advised to stay away from the area at this time.”
State Police confirmed they are investigating a shooting at the mall, initially reported at 5:50 p.m., and said that it was not an active shooter situation. They added that the mall remained closed as of 8:20 p.m. and would remain closed.
“The mall is secure and troopers are in the process of safely removing patrons,” a State Police tweet stated. “The public is advised to avoid the area. Anyone looking to reunite with any family members, please go to Lot 26.”
East Rutherford police declined to comment about the shooting, referring questions to the State Police, who have jurisdiction over the mall.
Officials from the nearby borough of Rutherford said around 9:30 p.m. on social media that one person was shot and that three possible suspects fled the scene shortly after the shooting.
As of 10:45 p.m., there has been no confirmation from State Police or the East Rutherford Police about what may have prompted the shooting, whether it was a random act or a targeted attack, and how many suspects are being sought.
There also has been no confirmation that the mall was placed on lockdown, although several posts on social media from people who said they were inside the mall indicated some customers were running for cover and asked to go into lockdown mode.
Citing sources, NBC New York said “it appeared one person was shot in the parking lot area of the mall, and the suspect had fled. One senior law enforcement official said the victim walked into the mall and it was locked down as a precaution.”
NBC New York said the shooting may have been a targeted attack. “The extent of the victim’s injuries is unclear but the person is conscious,” the news station said, citing a source.
Some social media users have posted video clips on Twitter showing customers at the American Dream mall being told the complex was under “lockdown procedures” and some mall customers running or calling out to loved ones.
One Twitter user posted a video clip showing a police car with its siren on as it drove inside a parking deck, and the post read: “There was a shooting at American dream mall. Man shot in his chest 2 times. The scariest thing that has ever happened to me.”
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at [email protected].
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism