Innocent bystander among the injured as struggle over gun leads to shooting inside Lancaster mall

Updated: Oct. 18, 2021, 5:46 p.m. | Published: Oct. 18, 2021, 1:11 p.m.


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By David Wenner | dwenner@pennlive.com
A struggle over a gun preceded multiple people sustaining gunshot wounds inside Park City Center mall in Lancaster County, Lancaster police said on Monday.

Police believe six shots were fired — including some fired by an armed bystander who emerged from a nearby store and intervened.

A female walking by with her family and unconnected with the dispute was among those shot, police said.

The gunfire took place on Sunday afternoon inside the section of the mall occupied by JC Penney

Lancaster police on Monday morning said a male 16-year-old city resident has been arrested and is awaiting charges.

Police said the 16-year-old, whose name wasn’t given, got in a fight with an acquaintance and pulled out a handgun.

Police said others joined the fight, with the 16-year-old firing shots and hitting one of the people who joined the fight.

Police said an armed bystander who was in another store and wasn’t involved in the fight heard the shots and then shot one of the people struggling over the gun -- apparently the 16-year-old who initiated the shooting. Police said the 16-year-old was hospitalized for a non-life-threatening gunshot injury.

Police said the armed bystander waited for police to arrive and turned over his weapon. Police said the county district attorney will decide if the bystanders’ actions were legal and justified.

Police said two other males who struggled over the gun were shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the female who was shot while walking through the mall had non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said two of the people who were shot have been released from the hospital, and no one involved in the incident had life-threatening injuries.

Police said they are piecing together “video footage from many different sources” to understand exactly what took place.

They are asking anyone with information to call Lancaster police at 717-735-3301.

The mall reopened at regular time on Monday morning.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/1...unty-mall.html