Police responded to reports of shots being fired Friday evening at the Auburn Mall on East University Drive, a police source has confirmed. Two people were injured, police say, in a shooting that they believe may not be random.
Police said they received a call of shots fired right after 5 p.m. When officers arrived, they found the two individuals who had suffered from gunshot wounds. They've been transported to Columbus Regional Medical Center for "serious injuries," said Auburn Police Chief Paul Register.
"It does not appear to be random," Register said.
There was a heavy police and EMS presence outside of the mall, where authorities set up a large perimeter.
The two individuals who were injured were male and in their early twenties. They may have been involved in the incident, police said. Police say they found a firearm located near one of the injured individuals.
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"At this point, we do believe that those individuals participated somewhat in the situation," Register said. "We do think that the individuals here were actively involved in the situation. ... I feel strongly that this is not, as we said, a random situation where people were just here and something bad happened to them."
Police said they have not yet confirmed what the incident was that led to the shooting.
The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the mall, police said. Police said a black male suspect in his 20s was seen running the mall parking lot parallel to Opelika Road. He was of average build wearing a white t-shirt and jeans with a stripe.
Police now believe he was one of the individuals who was injured. Police say they are "handling it as if there could be" a third person involved, but there is a "potential" that the two individuals injured were the only ones involved.
"We're just thankful that no bystander was injured and no person here at the mall otherwise, and we certainly hope both of these gentlemen recover," Register said.
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Latonia Darby, from Beauregard, Alabama, said she saw a victim lying on the ground when she pulled up in her car at the Auburn Mall on the night of her daughter's first prom.
The victim told her that he had been shot.
"I got a blanket out of my trunk and put his head on it and just told him to relax," Darby said. "He asked me to call his mom, and I got the number and called his mom and let him talk to his mom."
He was conscious and told his mom that everything was okay and not to panic. His mom lives in Maryland, Darby said, and is trying to get a flight to Atlanta to see her son.
"Another young lady pulled up and got her belt and applied pressure," Darby said. "She tied his leg up. She applied pressure to his leg and I just assured him that he was going to be okay."
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Darby said she heard the shots when she and her daughter left the nail salon, and her car was parked near where the gentleman was lying on the ground.
"We came to the mall to get her makeup done and this is what we ran into," Darby said. "I pray to God that the gentleman is okay."
The investigation is ongoing. Auburn Police Division does not believe there is an active threat at this time.
"We feel like this area is safe," Register said. "We feel confident in the investigation."
Police have the firearm in their possession. They said they would not get into the specifics of the type of firearm at this point. Police said they would not speculate about how many shots were fired.
Information can be reported to law enforcement by calling 911, the non-emergency number (334) 501-3100, or via the tip line at (334) 246-1391.
"If you have information that the police division needs, please call us," Register said.
Shots fired at the Auburn Mall. Belk is currently closed with a police parameter set up around the Belk parking lot.
— Elizabeth Hurley (@lizhurley37) March 9, 2018
Lotonia Darby was across the street from Auburn Mall when she heard gun shots and saw a man lying on the ground. She approached him, saw he had been shot and got a blanket from her car to help. She said he asked for her to call his mom in Maryland.
— Sam Willoughby (@SamAWilloughby) March 10, 2018
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Chip Brownlee, senior in journalism and political science, is the editor-in-chief of The Auburn Plainsman.
