JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Shots fired inside the Regency Square Mall left a female mall employee injured.
According to witnesses, a person was shot inside the mall just outside of the Belk store. A news release from Lauri-Ellen Smith, special assistant to Sheriff's John Rutherford, said the woman was not the intended target in the shooting.
Lt. Brian Richardson with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said the victim was shot once in the shoulder and is in stable condition. JSO officers described the victim as a woman in her thirties and said she is an employee of a sunglasses kiosk outside Belk.
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue took the victim to Shands on trauma alert. Regency Square Mall General Manager, Charlie Brennan, said the victim was up and talking after being shot.
Witnesses said they heard three gunshots inside the mall.
According to Lt. Richardson, officers believe three black males were involved in the shooting, and police are still searching for them.
Officers said it appears the suspects left the area in a four-door, dark colored sedan.
A JSO helicopter circled the area following the shooting, which closed the mall for a while. The mall has since reopened.