Mall shooting wounds two, incites panic

MURRAY, Utah — A shooting at a suburban Salt Lake City mall that sent hundreds of panicked shoppers fleeing and wounded two people started as an argument between rival gang members, police said Monday.

Two 19-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of attempted aggravated murder, but investigators are not yet sure if either fired the shots that hit the victims, who were also involved in the fight, said Kenny Bass, a police spokesman in Murray.

Shots were fired by both sides. No bystanders were hit, Bass said.

Compounding the pandemonium, a fire alarm at the Fashion Place mall that had been malfunctioning for days went off, sending people running for exits, Bass said.

Shoppers reported hearing the alarm and evacuation orders over a loudspeaker after the shooting started about 1:30 p.m.

Mauricio Caballero heard the gunfire from the B’hood clothing cart where he works and ran to find a friend before racing out of the mall. He said it was the third time in a month the fire alarm sounded randomly, and that he thinks the alarm helped people who did not hear the gunfire get to safety quickly.

“The universe is taking care of us,” said Caballero, 21.

Investigators were looking for others involved in the dispute and trying to locate more witnesses, Bass said.

The members of the rival gangs crossed paths by chance in the mall, and their argument turned physical after it went outside, Bass said.

Oneofthetwovictims,awomanin her early 20s, was treated and released, Bass said.

A man, also in his early 20s, remained hospitalized Monday in critical condition.

A 2007 shooting at a different Salt Lake City mall killed five people and wounded four others. The 18-yearold gunman was killed in a shootout with police.