San Jose Police Take Suspect Into Custody At Eastridge Mall After Reports Of Active Shooter
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Police in San Jose on Thursday took an individual into custody at the Eastridge Mall after numerous unverified reports of an active shooter at the mall.
At around 1:30 p.m., there were a number of posts on Twitter and Facebook warning that there was an armed active shooter at the mall.
While there were reports that the mall was on lockdown or evacuated on social media, San Jose police told KPIX 5 that authorities were not evacuating the mall, but that a suspect was in custody.
"Our undercover officers are taking an individual into custody. They have since cleared the scene," said San Jose Police Officer Gina Tepoorten.
Authorities did not say whether the individual in custody was armed or why undercover officers took the person into custody..
The incident comes a day after an online threat of a planned mass shooting at the Westfield Valley Fair shopping mall in San Jose was determined by police to not be credible.
A message posted on the online forum Reddit entitled "Fun at the mall" early Wednesday morning led to the investigation. The post by an individual who gives his name as James states that he has been having a hard time in school and has "just had enough of it."
"I'm just here to warn you and invite you to my stream," the post reads. The poster goes on to claim that he plans to go to Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose at 3 p.m. Wednesday "fully armed" with an automatic weapon and bulletproof vest.
Police were able to determine that the threat was not credible by Wednesday afternoon. They stated that there were additional threats directed at San Jose High School and other locations throughout the state.
Police are continuing to investigate that threat.
