Police have released an image of the suspect they believe is responsible for shooting dead three people and injuring two others at a mall north of Seattle in Washington state.
The Washington state patrol said on Twitter the three women were shot dead at the Cascade mall in Burlington, about 65 miles (105km) north of Seattle. One man is reported to have suffered life-threatening injuries and another female suffered non-life threatening injuries.
The FBI tweeted that there was no information to suggest any additional attacks were planned in Washington state.
— FBI Seattle (@FBISeattle) September 24, 2016At this time, #FBI has no information to suggest additional attacks planned in WA state. Assisting with intel review & manpower #SkagitDEM
The attack happened at around 7.30pm local time.
The department of emergency management said police were looking for one “shooter”, described as an hispanic male in a black T-Shirt. Sergeant Mark Francis Tweeted that he was armed with a rifle.
“We are still actively looking for the shooter. Stay indoors, stay secure,” Francis said at a news conference.
Authorities say the motive was unknown.
— Skagit County DEM (@SkagitDEM) September 24, 2016
Confirmed: Looking for 1 shooter. Hispanic Male, black shirt #CascadeMallShooting pic.twitter.com/BD5WFKcV89
Officials have asked residents to stay inside and report any suspicious activity.
Francis said at about 8.30pm that the mall had been evacuated and emergency medical personnel were cleared to enter.
Tari Caswell told the Skagit Valley Herald she was in the Macy’s women’s dressing room when she heard “what sounded like four balloons popping.”
“Then I heard seven or eight more, and I just stayed quiet in the dressing room because it just didn’t feel right. And it got very quiet. And then I heard a lady yelling for help, and a man came and got me and another lady, and we ran out of the store,” Caswell told the newspaper.
— Sgt. Mark Francis (@wspd7pio) September 24, 2016
Here is the shooter. We believe just one shooter. Notify authorities if you see him. Armed with rifle. pic.twitter.com/GXeWCPYnx5
Stephanie Bose, an assistant general manager at Johnny Carino’s Italian restaurant near the Macy’s store at the mall, said she immediately locked the doors to the restaurant after hearing about the shooting from an employee’s boyfriend.
“He was trying to go to the mall and people were screaming,” she said. “It was frantic.”
She said he could see police at the doors with assault rifles and said they were no longer guarding the doors as of 9.30 pm.
Governor Jay Inslee said in a statement that many questions remain but state patrol and local law enforcement are on the scene working swiftly to locate the shooter and clear the area.
“Trudi and I send our condolences to the families of the victims and prayers for anyone injured. We urge residents to heed all safety and detour warnings. Stay close to your friends and loved ones as we await more information and, hopefully, news of the suspect’s capture.”
The Cascade mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Burlington, Washington, that opened in 1990, according to the mall’s website. It features J.C. Penney, TJ Maxx, and Macy’s stores, among other stores, restaurants and a movie theater.
The shooting comes less than a week after a man stabbed nine people at a mall in central Minnesota before being shot dead.