Man shot and killed at Fashion Outlets of Chicago mall in Rosemont identified; teenage girl wounded, possible third victim fled
ROSEMONT, Ill. (CBS) -- A shooting Friday evening at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont left a man dead and a teenage girl wounded.
Police say there also may be a third victim who fled the scene. Two suspects also fled, and police late Friday night said one person of interest had been located.
Police said late Friday that they were called to the mall for multiple reports of shots fired. They found two confirmed victims in the food court area, both of whom were in initially in critical condition when they were taken to area hospitals.
The man, later identified as Joel Valdes, 20, by the Cook County Medical Examiners Office, was pronounced dead at the hospital. A 15-year-old girl was stabilized at the hospital.
The suspected gunman is a male in his mid-twenties with a mask covering his face, police said. The offender left the area in a Maroon 2008 Honda with others. That vehicle was later located out of town along with the owner of the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle is currently being questioned regarding their involvement in the shooting and is being considered a person of interest. No additional persons have been identified.
Police said the shooting was an isolated incident and said there was no active shooter at the mall.
Police said multiple areas of the mall have been cordoned off with police tape and will be closed for the immediate future. Officers evacuated the mall store by store.
The area was safe, but was still an active crime scene, police said.
As CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reported, people were seen clearing out of the mall in droves at 9 p.m.
Multiple people told us they heard several shots in the mall. People said they hid in stores and helped others get to safety.
Community activist Stringer Harris was in the mall at the time. He reported on Facebook Live that he was near the Prada store on the second level of the mall when he heard gunshots on the level below.
Harris' Facebook Live video showed officers armed with long guns walking on the first level of the mall. A siren or alarm was also heard sounding throughout the mall.
"I was upstairs shopping, and I heard a couple of shots go off, probably about four or five shots – they sounded like they came from the food court area – at which time people started to run," Stringer said. "They dropped their clothes; whatever they were shopping for, they just literally dropped it and start running. They picked up their kids onto their own strollers and just began running."
"I work on the third floor at Tory Burch, so I was in the back, but I wasn't really able to hear anything," added Diana Avina. "I just know a lot of people came to the back room, and that's when people were saying that they heard, like, gunshots, but it was more like multiple gunshots. It wasn't just like a single bullet or something like that."
Police set up a reunification point for people who got lost at the Caddy Shack restaurant in the 9000 block of West Balmoral Avenue. They say anyone looking for friends and family should meet there.
Those who had been inside the mall were relived to be reunited with loved ones outside.
"I kind of like froze for like the first two, three seconds, and that's when I reacted and said, you know what? I can't stand here and just not do nothing," said Ysrael Escobedo, who was inside the mall. "So my first instinct was, you know what? Let's get brother and my mom to safety - and that's the first thing I did."
Police said there will be additional officers at the mall when it reopens.
