Shooting In Seattle-Area Mall Kills One, Injures Another

November 23, 2008 7:29 a.m. EST

Tukwila, WA. (AHN) - One person was killed and another man was injured when an armed man shot the victims during an argument at the Southcenter Mall in Tukwila, Washington, authorities say.

Police say witnesses claim seeing the shooter arguing with the two victims outside the busy shopping mall, before pulling out a gun and fired.

The victims were rushed to a Seattle hospital where one of them died, while the other was being treated for gunshot wounds.

Police, backed by SWAT, immediately sealed off the area and conducted a store-to-store search for the gunman in the hope of catching him, while panicked shoppers and store personnel left the scene.

Several people were taken into custody by the police, although none of them was the shooter. Most were witnesses and some were already released.

Authorities said the gunman was armed with a pistol and fired several rounds into the victims.

The suspect was believed to have mingled with the crowd inside the mall that enabled him to escape.