Shooting at Park Place Mall Sparks Community Concern A shooting at Park Place Mall in Tucson, Arizona, on Wednesday night prompted the mall’s closure and evacuation, according to the Tucson Police Department. The incident, which occurred around 7 p.m., has left the local community deeply unsettled. Authorities confirmed that the suspect remains at large, adding to the lingering fear among those who were present during the event. The police department described the incident as beginning with a fight between groups of teenagers. Despite the mall reopening in the days following the shooting, many shoppers and visitors are still reluctant to return. Paige Stewart, who was at the mall with her mother and 5-year-old daughter, recounted the harrowing experience. “This is the mall I grew up going to— it doesn’t happen here— then it does,” Stewart said. She described hearing multiple gunshots near the crowded food court and children’s playground. “I just heard it was like six or seven gunshots that went off,” she explained. Stewart and others took refuge in a bathroom for over an hour, with Stewart shielding her daughter during the chaos. “I shoved my five-year-old against the wall and put myself over her,” she recalled. Two individuals were hospitalized as a result of the shooting. The Tucson Police Department emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that violence in public spaces is “deeply concerning.” They noted the incident appears to be isolated. As shoppers gradually return to the mall’s parking lot, Stewart reflected on the trauma of the event. “I genuinely in the moment was worried we weren’t gonna make it out,” she said. “I was thinking we aren’t going to make it out of here.#tucson_arizona #tucson_police_department #park_place_mall #tucson_arkansas #paige_stewart
