"It was a lot of screaming": Shooting under investigation in Arden Fair Mall parking garage
SACRAMENTO — Fear spread at Arden Fair Mall after gunfire erupted inside the parking garage just 11 days before Christmas.
Police have no suspects in custody and say, so far, they have not located a victim.
The gunshots were fired at noon Wednesday around people getting in and out of their cars, leaving store employees and shoppers shaken. Brande Rife was caught in the shooting scene and was forced to take cover.
"It was a lot of screaming," Rife said. "I was crawling around on the ground there and hiding behind the pillars because I wasn't trying to get shot."
Rife said she heard five or six shots and lots of yelling before several cars drove off.
"My timing is off right now, It felt like eternity," she said.
The mall alerted store managers through an automated telephone call, advising them in the immediate aftermath to stay inside. By the time officers arrived, no suspects or victims were on the scene — and shopping continued.
This shooting comes two years after the 2020 Black Friday shooting inside Arden Fair. Two teens were killed and another was arrested for murder. Police said the deadly altercation started as a verbal confrontation.
That shooting led Arden Fair to partner with community organizations like Brother to Brother to respond to small actions at the mall like arguments to prevent them from escalating.
Despite the outreach and widespread mall surveillance, police are investigating another shooting there during the holiday shopping season.
Police do have extra patrols at the mall during the holiday shopping time. They are considering adding even more.