Shoplifting arrests lead to active shooter scare at Dadeland Mall, police say
MIAMI -- Three shoplifting suspects were arrested Saturday evening at Dadeland Mall during an active shooter scare at the shopping center, authorities said.
No injuries were reported and no shots were fired, Miami-Dade police told CBS 4 about the incident.
The incident resulted in a large police presence at the mall, located at 7535 N Kendall Drive, as officers responded to the scene.
According to a CBS 4 staffer who was at the mall at the time, people were crying and parts of the shopping center were placed on locked down during the incident.
Officials have not identified the shoplifting suspects or said where the alleged thefts occurred.
The panic and fear resulted from shoppers who thought they heard gun shots.
"I just wanted to leave," said Tristan Yeager. "I was really scared (and) I didn't know what was going down."
"I did hear them say like there's supposedly an active shooter and they started all ducking under their table," said Brayton Russell.
Yeager and Russell were hanging out with their friends while enjoying dinner at the Cheesecake Factory when they say panic ensued.
"The table next to me, they started ducking and we just ran out," Yeager said. "We weren't really sure, but we saw a bunch of cops coming in and the cars coming in, so we ran out of the Cheesecake Factory."
Shoppers said pandemonium ensued when suspected shoplifters ran out of a store and chairs dropped, leading people to believe there were gun shots.
"They came around later, one of the workers and told us it was people who stole candles," Yeager said. "And then that caused a bit of hysteria."
The panic left the mall virtually empty with baby strollers abandoned during the chaos as armed police roamed the shopping center.
Those who were in the mall at the time said they were in sheer disbelief.
"Is it me now experiencing what I see on TV, what others are experiencing?" Deeann Musa said. "Should we stay or should we go? We were like 'What do we do?'"
Those inside say it was frightening, especially when we live in a world where mass shootings happen often.
"We see it all the time on the news and we would never expect it to happen, like, where we are at and here," said Shelby Musa.