Terrified shoppers ran for their lives in a California mall after a mass brawl sparked panic that led some people to believe that there was an active shooter in the area.
A vicious fist fight on Saturday caused an evacuation in Ontario Mills food court, with people reportedly running for the exits. The sudden hysteria led some people to believe that a gunman had entered the San Bernardino County shopping center.
“There was a mob of people running out, screaming,” eyewitness Zach Miniskey told ABC7 news.
“You could hear them from inside. Then all of the sudden, like seconds later, people inside the theaters started yelling and running. We heard ‘active shooter’ being thrown around,” he said.
However, footage has now emerged from inside the mall revealing that a fight between at least seven individuals involving a Taser sparked the alarm. It shows a group of men running through the mall, aiming punches at an individual, as the distinctive sound of an electrical charge is heard in the background.
Ontario police searched the area but authorities have since confirmed that no shooting occurred at the location.
“A fight involving a personal Taser is what caused people to fear that there was an active shooter,” a police statement said. Investigators are now trying to identifying the individuals in the social media clip of the brawl, it added.
UPDATE: OPD confirms a fight involving a personal taser is what caused people to fear there was an active shooter. Police confirm no active shooter. The investigation remains on going about the fight and persons involved.
— Ontario Police Dept. (@OntarioPD) July 8, 2018
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