Shoppers fled Dallas' NorthPark Center this afternoon after reports of an active shooter, but the noise some mistook for gunfire was actually a man loudly banging a skateboard on the floor in the mall's food court.
The man also made hand gestures, mimicking shooting but when Dallas Police officers took him into custody he was unarmed.
Dallas Police officers have detained one suspect. No injuries have been reported.
@PIODPD heading to a shooting incident at Northpark Mall. Early information is that one person is in custody. No shooting victims located at this time. Stand by for updates.
— Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) May 31, 2021
WFAA's Malini Basu spoke with NorthPark restaurant employees.
"I was hiding in the bathroom for 10 minutes," said a man working in the food court.
We’re at NorthPark mall where people ran for their lives after reports of an active shooter.
— Malini Basu (@MaliniBasu_) May 31, 2021
We just spoke to a restaurant employees who was visibly shaken up. “I was hiding in the bathroom for 10 minutes,” said a man working in the food court area.@wfaa pic.twitter.com/HlbVUDHVja
New York Times reporter Jesus Jiménez said he was watching a movie in NorthPark Center when he was evacuated from the mall due to reports of an active shooter.
I was watching a movie at Northpark mall. We’ve been evacuated because of reports of a shooting. pic.twitter.com/0BM050XP2c
— Jesus Jiménez (@jesus_jimz) May 31, 2021
The mall is closed for the rest of the day as police assess the situation.
This is a developing story.
