Crossgates Mall closes Wednesday afternoon after shooting

ALBANY, N.Y. » Crossgates Mall went into lockdown late Wednesday afternoon after a reported shooting inside the mall.

Police from multiple agencies responded to the scene around 4 p.m. and blocked off all entrances and exits to the mall. Store employees and shoppers were directed to shelter in place as well.

Guilderland Deputy Police Chief Curtis Cox detailed his department’s response to the shooting incident.

“[Wednesday] afternoon around four o’clock, the Guilderland Police Department received several calls for shots fired inside Crossgates Mall near the Foot Locker. Units were immediately deployed to the mall, including our mall officers. We immediately started to clear the mall,” Cox explained.

“We have no reports of any injuries,” Cox continued.

“We feel that this is an isolated incident. It wasn’t a long-duration active shooter event. This was a single incident it appears that happened by the Foot Locker in the mall,” Cox added on the type of shooting.

Cox asked anyone who was in the mall and saw anything relevant to call police. The deputy chief said he had no further details on the investigation or any suspect, but added, “it appears this is going to be a successful conclusion.”

Pyramid Management Group, owners of Crossgates Mall, released a statement Wednesday night.

“The safety of our guests and tenants remains our highest priority,” mall officials said in the statement. “This afternoon’s unfortunate and isolated incident at Crossgates appears to have been between known acquaintances and not a random act or part of any intentional threat against the

property.

“The altercation resulted in the discharge of a firearm inside our facility. Law enforcement officials and Crossgates personnel were already onsite at the time of the incident inside the facility, and along with our tenants, immediately engaged in a comprehensive, routinely practiced and programmed response to address the incident. As such, Crossgates immediately went into lockdown.

“At this time, no arrest has been made, but law enforcement officials are confident the suspect has vacated the property. Law enforcement officials are currently assisting guests and tenants in safely vacating the property. Crossgates will be closing for the evening and reopening in the morning while we work closely with law enforcement officials in the full investigation of this incident.”

The mall did reopen on Thursday.

Tasheem Maeweather, of Albany, was convicted of reckless endangerment and sentenced to 3.5 to 7 years in state prison after shots were fired inside the mall in the fall of 2016. No one was injured in that incident.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.