A confrontation between two groups at The Citadel mall on Sunday escalated into a shooting, resulting in one fatality and two individuals sustaining gunshot wounds, as reported by the Colorado Springs Police Department.
The initial report of shots fired was received by the police at 4:34 p.m. Responders discovered a deceased male with at least one gunshot wound, and two other injured males, who were promptly transported to a hospital. Additionally, a female with minor injuries, unrelated to gunshots, was also taken to the hospital, according to CSPD spokesman Ira Cronin.
Cronin clarified, “(The female victim) did not suffer any type of gunshot wound.”
Several individuals were detained in connection with the incident, and investigators were actively determining if the alleged shooter was among those detained, as stated by Cronin.
This incident marks the latest violent occurrence at The Citadel mall, with previous events including an officer-involved shooting in April, resulting in the death of a teenage suspect at the Burlington Coat Factory. Two weeks later, a lawsuit was filed against the mall’s owners by the family of a shooting victim, asserting inadequate security measures despite awareness of multiple shootings in the preceding years.
By 8 p.m. on Sunday, the mall had been evacuated and was scheduled to remain closed until Tuesday, according to Cronin, who added, “We do anticipate that we’ll be on scene for a good part of the evening as we investigate and try to put together the pieces of what exactly happened here.”
Individuals with information or witnesses to the incident are urged to contact the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000. Anonymous tips can be provided to the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 719-634-STOP [7867] or 800-222-8477.