At least six wounded in shooting at Tacoma mall

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Emergency Service News from the Emergency Response & Research Institute (ERRI) with Chief Clark Staten

From the ERRI/EmergencyNet News Global Watchdesk

SEATTLE/TACOMA, WA: At least six people have been hurt, one critically, in a shooting at a shopping mall near downtown Tacoma, Washington, a fire official said.

The shootings began at about 12:15 p.m. (3:15 p.m. ET), Lendosky said.

"There are still people in the mall, and we're on the scene with about 40 firefighters and about 15 units right now," he said. Police spokesman Mark Fulguhm says a man walked into the mall with an assault rifle around noon and began randomly firing shots.

No one was entering or leaving the mall, which contains dozens of stores, Lendosky said. One witness said that the gunman is believed to be holed up inside a Sam Goody music store and may have hostages. Numerous police officers and special teams hae been dispatched to the mall. Police said that they did not have any age or description of the suspect at the time of this report.

"At this time, the situation is still evolving," said Jon Lendosky, deputy chief of the Tacoma Fire Department. "We're still right in the middle of it." Lendosky said five people had been sent to hospitals. But another fire official, Lt. David Elmer, said earlier that eight people had been reported hurt.

Todd Kelley, a spokesman for Tacoma General Hospital, said one patient was received in critical condition. Two others with non-life-threatening injuries were sent to an affiliated facility, Allenmore Hospital, Kelley said.

The situation at the mall is still dynamic and on-going. EmergencyNet News will bring you additional official details if/when they are made available...

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