RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A man accidentally shot himself after a “loud noise” created a rush of movement among mall visitors Saturday night at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, police said.
An incident was reported around 8:24 p.m. at the mall, located at 4325 Glenwood Ave., just off Interstate 440.
As of 10 p.m., there were at least eight Raleigh police SUVs and squad cars still at the scene.
Raleigh police said in a news release that a loud noise of unknown origin first caused visitors to move toward “safe locations quickly.”
A man carrying a concealed weapon then accidentally shot himself during the activity, police said. He suffered a non-life-threatening injury and was taken to the hospital, according to police.
A mother and grandmother — along with their six children — who were inside the mall at the time of the incident spoke with CBS 17.
The family, which included some toddlers, sat locked in Bath and Body Works for at least an hour after what they described as a stampede and panic inside the mall.
Around the time it all started, store employees started rushing people inside and locking the store gates.
The mother and grandmother didn’t hear anything before the panic — they only said there were rumors spreading and weren’t sure what was happening.
The pair said some of their children were knocked down.
The mall closes at 9 p.m. on Saturdays. Police said there is no ongoing threat.
While the Crabtree Valley Mall was closed, restaurants stayed open after the incident.
The mall will operate normally Sunday, according to police. The incident is still under investigation.