 Miami-Dade police officers stand in front of a store at Dadeland Mall in Miami, Monday, Dec. 1, 2008. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesman Lt. Eddy Ballester says one person was transported to the hospital by helicopter with reported gunshot wounds. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz) |
Related article:
Two hurt in shooting at Miami mall
By Tamara Lush
The Associated Press
MIAMI — An armored truck guard was shot to death at a suburban Miami mall Monday, and police were searching for two gunmen.
Police have not released a motive for the shooting inside the Express clothing store at the Dadeland Mall. Fire and police officials had surrounded a Dunbar armored car parked in front of the mall.
Witnesses said they heard numerous gunshots and described shoppers screaming and running through the mall.
The guard was airlifted and pronounced dead at the hospital, Miami-Dade Det. Aida Fina-Milian said. Another person was hurt, but their specific injury was not immediately released.
Jennie Block, 59, was shopping for clothes when she said she heard about 10 gunshots from a nearby store. “There was screaming and yelling and chaos,” she said.
Another shopper, Jorge Divo, was having coffee in the food court when he saw a crowd of shoppers running, screaming “that someone had been shot.”
A group that owns the mall said in a statement that stores were open except in the area near the shooting.
“We are shocked and saddened by this tragic crime,” Lydia Gilmore of the Simon Property Group said in the statement. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the victim.”
The Dadeland Mall is located about 15 miles southwest of downtown Miami. It has more than 185 specialty stores, department stores, shops and boutiques.