Man Opens Fire At SoCal Mall, Kills Wife, Shoots Self
THOUSAND OAKS (AP) -- Authorities say a man shot and killed his former wife at a Southern California mall and then turned the gun on himself.
Ventura County fire Capt. Steve Swindle says the shooter was wounded Saturday and taken to a hospital.
Police say the 33-year-old gunman is an Los Angeles-area resident and is in critical condition.
Swindle says there's no threat to the public, but firefighters opened up a nearby fire station as a safety zone for shoppers.
The shooting occurred at The Oaks mall in the city of Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles west of Los Angeles.
Ventura County Sheriff's Sgt. Eric Buschow says the man went to a store at the mall and argued with the 30-year-old victim before shooting her.
He says the couple have children, who have been found and are safe.
Buschow says initial indications show that the shooting was a murder and attempted suicide.
Jeffrey Simpson was inside a department store when it suddenly went into lockdown.
The 17-year-old says he was buying pants at Nordstrom on Saturday afternoon when an announcement came over the intercom that there was a threat outside and all the doors would be locked.
Simpson, who was with his mother, says he didn't hear any gunfire but saw emergency vehicles outside. He says they are both a little shaken and have been in the store for an hour.
Simpson says he can't believe something like this happened just a few minutes from his home.
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