LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson Mall has closed for the evening following a shooting that left a person in critical condition on Monday.
The scene unfolded around 4:45 p.m. after police said they received reports of shots fired at the Okolona mall.
In their preliminary investigation, police said the was an altercation that took place inside the mall when it spilled out into the parking lot. That’s when police said a male suspect pulled out a gun, fired several rounds and hit another male believed to be in his late teens.
Devon Ballard was buying jewelry for his wife at the time; he said he heard arguing that led up to the shooting.
“That's when I heard the shots, but I didn't think, you know, it was gunshots at first," he said.
Ballard told WHAS11 News he was thinking of a way to get out and get to his car as he was running to leave the mall.
Police said the scene was under control shortly after the incident and said there was no active shooter.
The victim was taken to UofL Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.
For families inside, the scene was terrifying. Amya Gross, 9, was at the mall to see Santa; she clung to her mother as she told WHAS11 News what went through her head.
"Is this the time that I am going to lose my mom?" she said. "I was just bawling my eyes out because I didn’t know what was going to happen at that very last moment."
Her mother, Kari Gross, described the look of panic on her child's face.
"It was just so scary, I looked back at her and her face looked like she saw a ghost. And we grabbed our stuff and we ran,” she said.
The two are thankful to have each other tonight and passing prayers to another family, somewhere in Louisville, worrying for their son.
"Around the holiday time, no one needs to think about losing their family members," Kari said.
Police have not revealed any information about the suspect at this time.
The mall was cleared by police around 7 p.m.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Anonymous Tip Line at (502) 574-LMPD (5673) or the Crime Tip Portal.
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