Gunshots at Douglasville mall send shoppers into panic

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - Gunfire on one of the busiest shopping days of the year set off a panic at a Douglasville shopping mall this week.

Saturday afternoon, people ran for their lives at Arbor Place Mall in Douglasville after hearing the gunshot.

"I never imagined anything would happen like this, You don't think - it's right here at Christmas and people - unfortunately the world's gone crazy," Tonya Jones, who was inside the mall at the time, told FOX 5.

Jones said the gunshot was extremely loud and everyone began screaming and tell each other to get down.

According to Douglasville police, the shooting started with a fight between two women, with cameras capturing a brawl shortly before the shots rang out.

"All of the sudden, people just started rushing past, rushing past, rushing past. So everybody started running into the nail shop, the guy that was doing my feet, he ran into the back closet," Minnie Coleman said. "I got up, I didn’t know what was going on, so I ran in there with him and we stayed in there for about 30 minutes."

Fortunately, no one was shot, but police did say someone was injured in the dash that ensued and was taken to the hospital. 

Police say that the two women got away during the chaos and, with little information to go on, they're hoping someone has videos or photos that could help them identify the suspects.

Similar scenes have played out at Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead, clocking in its fifth shooting this year in early December.

The violence, turning away some longtime shoppers, prompted management to implement more security, including K-9s and metal detectors.

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Parking lot crime typically goes up around the holidays so police encourage shoppers to lock your car and close your windows, make sure all valuables are removed from your vehicle, and remain vigilant when you leave a store.

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