MIAMI — A shooting at an upscale South Florida shopping mall that began as a fight between two groups of people left three people injured Saturday afternoon and sent mall patrons fleeing and ducking for cover, police and local news reports said.
Live aerial televised news footage showed mall patrons running from the Aventura Mall after reports of gunfire as law enforcement vehicles converged at the scene.
Aventura Police said two groups of people had begun fighting in the mall when shots rang out.
One individual in one of the groups produced a gun, and an individual in the other group produced a gun and fired it, said an Aventura police spokesman, Michael Bentolila, briefing reporters on live television. He said the injuries were not life-threatening to the three who were hurt.
Aventura Police also tweeted that authorities had several suspects in custody who were being questioned by detectives. Police had no immediate report on what touched off the fight and shooting.
Aventura Police said that all patrons and employees were being escorted out of the area, and officials are restricting access to the mall until further notice.
Videos shared on social media community forums show officers who appeared to be arresting a man outside the mall. Others show shoppers running out of the stores or seeking cover.
Aventura Mall calls itself on its online site as a premier shopping destination in the Miami area and South Florida.
The Associated Press
