A man carrying what is believed to be a hunting rifle entered a Macy’s department store in Washington state and opened fire, killing four women and a man. Authorities believe that only one man is responsible for the shooting, which took place at the Cascade Mall in the small town of Burlington, approximately one hour north of Seattle.
Immediately following the shooting, the suspect disappeared and continues to remain at large. A massive search effort is underway along the Interstate 5, which is where police believe the armed man fled following the attack. Sgt. Mark Francis, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol, released a blurry photo of the prime suspect (pictured above, left) in case civilians should happen to spot the shooter.
Locals described the chaotic scene of the shooting, which took place around 7:00 P.M. Pacific Time, to CNN:
“I didn’t know anything,” one mall-goer said. “The theater attendant came in and apologized for stopping the movie and said they were asked to have everyone leave immediately. But you immediately think about what happened in Aurora, Colorado, so you start moving faster,” referencing the 2012 shooting at a Colorado movie theatre in which 12 were killed.
The Skagit County Emergency Office warned locals that the “Cascade Mall is still an active scene” in this tweet:
Please avoid Cascade Mall area in Burlington. Follow all road closures. Follow this account as we get new info.
— Skagit County DEM (@SkagitDEM) September 24, 2016
Authorities searched the 434,00-square feet mall using K-9 units from the late evening and into the early morning. The FBI Seattle office is also helping local police in reviewing the intelligence. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that there are any further planned attacks in the Washington state area.
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