DAYTON — Shots fired at the Dayton Mall caused the mall to be under heavy security and many stores closed as police investigated the situation, as News Center 7 reported earlier Sunday.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
As reported on News Center 7 at 11, The gunshot that prompted the lockdown was from a teen mishandling a gun and shooting themself, according to Miami Township Assistant Police Chief Jason McCarty.
TRENDING STORIES:
- A million taxpayers will soon receive up to $1,400 from the IRS. Who are they and why now?
- 17-year-old arrested after shooting, drug deal, Sheriff says
- 1 arrested during welfare check at Trotwood apartments
Mindy Meltzer heard the gunshot as she was leaving Macy’s. She says that mall employees started asking people to leave.
“I need to get everybody out. I need everybody to leave,” Meltzer said.
Outside the mall, officers were everywhere.
Meltzer said she couldn’t imagine how people were feeling watching the police enter the mall in search of the shooter.
“Children don’t know what’s going on, but they see their parents getting upset and that makes them upset, so it makes them all the more scared,” Meltzer said.
Police have not located the shooter at this time.
Jason Rhein who was at the mall believes the shooting won’t stop people from shopping.
“You can’t really predict it. You can’t do anything to make yourself safer from it,” Rhein said. “You just hope you’re not there when it happens.”
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
