Mall shooting in Ottawa an ‘isolated’ incident

Two suspects in custody, police seeking two more

OTTAWA— Boxing Day shoppers scrambled for safety as a shooter fired a single round in the outdoor area of an outlet mall in the national capital, sending one person to hospital with minor injuries in what police are treating as an isolated incident.

The shooting occurred on a pedestrian walkway at the Tanger Outlets mall in the city’s west end around 3:45 p.m. Friday, said Staff-Sgt. Rick Keindel.

He said the victim suffered nonlife-threatening injuries and was in stable condition.

The shooting took place outside an Adidas shoe store, said an employee who gave his name only as Mike.

He said he was in the back when the shot rang out and emerged to see people running for cover.

“I saw other customers or pedestrians fleeing from the area. But I think there was more confusion than anything,” he said.

He said the store was immediately placed in lockdown but reopened an hour later and that shopping resumed at other stores in the mall.

Keindel said police have arrested two suspects and are looking for two others.

“It’s not an active shooter situation. It seems like an isolated thing.

“Just one shot was fired. One person was injured,” he said.

Duty Insp. Mark Patterson told local reporters that it’s believed the shooting was a targeted attack. He said the victim was known to police and was not co-operating.

He said witnesses are being interviewed and that investigators will be looking into any available surveillance footage of the shooting.

Management at the mall decided to close for Friday in consideration of the employees working at the stores, Keindel said.