The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens was locked down Wednesday amid reports of gunshots fired, city officials said.
"We can confirm that first responders are currently on scene and investigating this incident. The mall is on lockdown. No further information is available at this time," a statement from the city said.
A source with WPTV anchor Michael Williams said no one yet has been located that has been hurt. Williams' source reported earlier that two people were possibly injured.
A person who was inside the mall told WPTV reporter Matt Sczesny she heard five to 10 shots fired.
Toni Lester said she had just left Nordstrom and was walking to Starbucks on the second floor when she heard a "big bang" and wondered if something had fallen. Moments later, she saw "numerous people" running through the mall claiming there was a shooter inside.
"They said, 'There's a shooter in the mall. Get out,'" Lester said.
Lester said she was escorted outside and, before she left, police searched her vehicle.
"I left the mall and every single vehicle that was exiting the mall was searched before we actually left," she said. "I was told to open my windows. They checked my trunk. They checked my windows. They were just making sure nobody was in the car except for me."
Multiple law enforcement personnel from various agencies were spotted at the scene.
Several people who were barricaded inside the mall have now been allowed to leave the building while escorted by police.
The Palm Beach State College Gardens campus was also on lockdown.
According to the School District of Palm Beach County, there are four schools on limited movement. Those schools are Palm Beach Gardens Community High School, Watson B. Duncan Middle School, Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School and Timber Trace Elementary School. The district said the schools will be using a modified dismissal procedure for students.
Previous incidents near South Florida malls
The last shooting that occurred near the Gardens Mall happened
outside of the Macy's in 2017. There were no injuries in that shooting.
There were reports of a shooting at the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton in 2019. However, no shots were ever confirmed and police believe the reporting parties possibly were hearing loud noises at the mall that resembled gunshots.
Then in 2021, there was a shooting at the Aventura Mall in Miami-Dade County. According to the reports from police, that shooting started with a fight inside the mall and three people were hurt.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
