Fight broke out at mall; no evidence of gunshots

Chattanooga police have confirmed that a fight broke out at Hamilton Place mall Saturday evening, but they have found no evidence shots were fired.

“After the review of video footage, interviews with witnesses and a complete sweep of the mall, there is no physical evidence at this time which has indicated that a firearm was discharged during this incident,” according to a news release from the Chattanooga Police Department.

Police responded to reports of shots being fired in the mall just after 6 p.m. The police department said that when officers arrived at the scene, they received reports of a fight involving a male who displayed a firearm, as well as reports of shots fired.

Based on that information, they decided to evacuate the mall, according to the release.

Police searched the mall and reviewed footage of the surveillance video, “and were quickly able to confirm the fight and a suspect brandishing a firearm,” the release states.

“Witnesses told police that several people shouted ‘Gun! He has a gun!’ which escalated into panic and preempted a mass movement of patrons out of the immediate area,” the release states.

As people were rushing to leave the

mall, at least one juvenile was injured and taken to a hospital with minor injuries that were not life threatening received after he fell to the ground.

Police found a firearm in the parking lot outside a mall entrance and were able to connect it to the incident inside the mall, the release states.

The mall reopened Sunday.

Members of the police department’s Violent Crimes Bureau still are investigating the incident.

Police request that anyone who witnessed the incident call the Chattanooga Police Department and report anything they may have seen. Callers can remain anonymous. Anyone with information on the incident should call 423-698-2525.

Police have responded to shootings at Hamilton Place before, including a nonfatal incident in March of last year. The victim in that shooting, 34-year-old Robert Driver Jr. suffered a minor gunshot wound in the parking lot near Bar Louie. Two other men, Malik Beavers, 18, and Adam Bulloch, 19, also were shot in a separate incident several months before on Black Friday in 2016.