Officer-involved shooting reported at South Carolina mall
FOREST ACRES, S.C. (AP) - An officer-involved shooting was reported at a suburban South Carolina mall Wednesday morning, and one person was taken to a hospital with injuries.
But officials did not give details about who was hurt, saying only that shots were fired after two officers responded to a report of a suspicious person at Richland Mall in Forest Acres. The call came in about 8 a.m.
The officers who responded were from the Forest Acres Police Department, Richland County Sheriff's spokesman Chris Cowan said. During their investigation, shots were fired, Cowan said. He didn't give further information on the shooting or the person's injuries.
The State Law Enforcement Division and Columbia police were called to help. SLED spokesman Thom Berry said agents and crime scene technicians were requested, and a number were at the scene.
A Columbia police spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a message.
Cowan says Sheriff Leon Lott and Forest Acres police Chief Gene Sealy plan to meet with reporters at noon to release more details.
Forest Acres is a residential town virtually surrounded by Columbia. The mall is anchored by a department store, a bookstore and a theater complex.
About two hours after the report of the shooting, most of the mall was closed. Traffic was flowing smoothly, the parking garage was open, and the main entrance was closed by yellow crime scene tape.
About half a dozen police cars were at the scene. News reporters were being kept away from the immediate area.
The department store was expected to open slightly later than usual. A restaurant at a far end of the mall with a separate entrance was open.
Customers pulled in and out of a gas station on the corner.
Nearby A.C. Flora High School was locked down briefly after the report of the shooting. The lockdown was lifted at 9 a.m.