NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. () — One person was killed in a shooting Tuesday afternoon at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, authorities confirmed.
Officers responded to the area near the Barnes & Noble bookstore around 3:40 p.m.
It’s unclear what prompted the shooting but authorities confirmed one person, who hasn’t been identified, died at the scene. According to witnesses, a body was found in the parking lot area.
Meanwhile, several Newport Beach police officers were seen surrounding a home in South Gate, about 30 miles away from the mall. AIR7 captured several officers with their guns drawn, pointing toward the back portion of the home.
Eyewitness News learned the suspects in that scene are connected to the Fashion Island shooting. However, there was no immediate description of the suspects or how many people were involved.
Shopping mall scare
As the chaos was unfolding, one woman who works just a few stores down from where the shooting occurred, said initially, she wasn’t sure what was happening.
“A lady went in with her daughter, screaming like, ‘There’s a shooter! There’s a shooter,'” she recalled. “We ended up locking down with a lot of customers in there and then waiting.”
The employee said her store was locked down for about an hour until they were all released.
“There was just a lot of people who were afraid, just a very scary thing when you’re working,” she said.
This is a developing story. This article will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.
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