UPDATE: The man who was injured during a fight at Dick’s Sporting Goods had pulled a gun and accidentally shot himself, District 4 Councilman Cody Harvey says.
The man has non-life-threatening injuries.
The mall has reopened since the incident, but Dick’s will remain closed as officers investigate.
We’re working to learn how many people were involved in the fight, how many shots were fired, and if any criminal charges will be filed.
Harvey, who called the man an “idiot or moron” warned people wanting to commit crime in the city to stay home.
“Don’t come out here and look for violence, or we’re gonna put you in jail for a really long time,” the councilman said.
PREVIOUS STORY: A fight led to a shooting at the Hamilton Place Mall Saturday afternoon.
The Chattanooga Police Department tells us one person shot himself during the incident inside the Dick’s Sporting Goods. His condition is unknown.
The mall was placed on lockdown temporarily, a spokesperson for the shopping center confirmed to Local 3. The lockdown has since been lifted.
Dick’s Sporting Goods will be closed for the foreseeable future as investigators find out what went down.
One witness on scene says her daughter and her were entering Barnes and Noble when it happened.
“[W]e were met with a stampede of people running out as they were yelling to leave and get out with no explanation as to what had happened,” Lisa Rector told us via Facebook messenger. “We followed the actions of others which was to run back to our vehicles where we started to notice others frantic, crying and chatter of others mentioning hearing gunshots and active shooters in the mall.”
Another person who messaged us and requested to remain anonymous said her family was eating at the mall when it happened.
“People by smoothie king started screaming and running and I heard gunshots so we got up and ran,” she said. “My little sister is 6 and we are all traumatized. There were people being trampled and this old woman was on the ground being pushed. Kids were screaming and they looked lost and overall it was extremely scary and traumatic.”
PREVIOUS STORY: We are working to learn more about an emergency response to the Hamilton Place Mall.
Viewers report a heavy police presence in the area.
We are working to learn more.
