An off-duty police officer working security at a busy shopping mall is being hailed for quickly subduing at least one gunman during a terrifying shooting which killed one person and injured another three.
Scores of police officers rushed to Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso after reports of a shooting that occurred just across the street from a Walmart where 23 people were shot dead in 2019.
Authorities said they first responded to reports of shots fired near the food court of Cielo Vista Mall at 5:05 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.
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The three injured have been transported to local hospitals, El Paso Police Department spokesman Sgt. Robert Gomez said, adding that he was unsure how the shooting unfolded at this time.
In a second press conference, interim police chief Peter Pacillas confirmed there was no more danger to the public and confirmed a second suspect had been taken into custody.
All of those involved in the shooting were male—though Pacillas did not disclose any of their ages.
He commended the actions of the off-duty police officer who was working security at a business inside the mall at the time who was on the scene in three minutes and “immediately” took one individual into custody.
“It was a dynamic scene and it was quickly brought under control.”
The FBI said of the officer that “a great deal of credit” goes out to the unidentified cop “who was able to get one of these individuals into custody” in a quick amount of time.
Police offered no information on how the second suspect was taken into custody.
Gomez said at least one weapon was recovered but could not confirm if that weapon was used in the shooting. “It was chaotic, people did flee, there were shots fired in the mall, it caused panic,” Gomez said, adding it was too early to speculate on motives, “we’re making sure we’re taking care of the injured, looking for the outstanding [suspect],” Gomez said.
“Bear with us, this is a large scene,” El Paso Police Department spokesman Sgt. Robert Gomez said in a news briefing just after the shooting.
