PINEVILLE, N.C. — Police said there was no evidence of shots being fired and no one was hurt after they responded to reports of an armed person at Carolina Place Mall in Pineville on Christmas Eve.
Officers said they received several calls reporting that shots were fired at the mall Thursday evening.
Pineville PD is reviewing surveillance video to find out what happened. Everyone is accounted for that was inside. Still no injuries or victims. No physical evidence of any shots. But Pineville PD got numerous calls reporting shots fired @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/3PXB5uylnX
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) December 24, 2020
“Initially most of the calls, and we received anywhere from a dozen to eighteen 911 calls, all from cellphones so we really couldn’t exactly pinpoint, were inside the mall but everyone of those calls was they heard gunshots,” said Lt. Corey Copley of the Pineville Police Department.
After investigating and searching the mall, police said they did not find a suspect or anyone who was hurt. Officials said the mall has now been cleared.
Pineville Police said they are reviewing surveillance video to find out exactly what happened.
BREAKING: No victims. No injuries. No suspect. Police are clearing the mall to make sure @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/OEiLWP0LIf
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) December 24, 2020
A Channel 9 crew was at the scene and said a large police presence could be seen outside the mall near the Belk and J. C. Penney stores.
Mall employee Brianna Harvell said she was working the register when she heard two shots inside the mall.
“This is why people don’t like to go anywhere, because everybody doesn’t know how to act,” Harvell said.
Another shopper never heard the shots, but witnessed the chaos.
“I saw a mass wave of people just start running,” said shopper Harrison Mingledorff.
He shared how management locked him and several others inside the store for all of their safety.
“The staff did really well, calming everyone down, kind of vetting who can come in and making sure everybody was safe,” Mingledorff said. “I was a little shaky at first just knowing panic spread that quickly but shortly after that initial panic was over, I was fine.”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said they helped Pineville Police investigate the scene.
Authorities said they set up a meeting place for families at the Sam’s Club parking lot near the mall.
#NEW police have set up a meeting place for families at the Sams parking lot. If you have loved ones who were shopping at Carolina Place and were evacuated, meet them there. @wsoctv
— Genevieve Curtis (@GenevieveWSOC9) December 24, 2020
No other details have been released at this point. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.
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