AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police explained a robbery at a jewelry retail store inside of the Barton Creek Mall Saturday night time led customers to error the audio of smashed jewelry cases for gunfire, prompting a chaotic scene and folks working for protection.
Law enforcement said the robbery occurred at the mall’s Helzberg Diamonds retailer, which may have involved three suspects smashing the glass and using various things. Officers have still to make any arrests, though they are reviewing stability camera footage to establish suspects and gather far more facts.
Police mentioned they acquired the preliminary call about the robbery at about 8:33 p.m. Saturday, but that response escalated when someone else described looking at a gun in the shopping mall. Initially responders surged sources to the constructing, foremost them to activate their “active attack” approach. They also evacuated the mall as a precaution immediately after chaotic scenes of persons working from the setting up mainly because of the noted gunfire.
Nevertheless, law enforcement said they positioned no victims just after their lookup nor uncovered proof of a gun being witnessed or fired.
Austin police posted on social media that Barton Creek Mall has now been “cleared and is safe.” Police also shared that any individual nevertheless within the mall can now occur out and exit properly.
Video clip shared with KXAN from the Twisted Cork Wine Bar confirmed the moments when dozens of people today started out managing swiftly by the shopping mall.
Outdoors the shopping mall, Marco Chavez informed KXAN that he did not listen to any gunshots, but observed persons operating within. He described what took place as “traumatizing” and “very frightening.”
“I just ran within a retail outlet, and they allow us within,” Chavez said. “We just stayed there, and we were in lockdown for a bit.”
An additional witness, Luis Santana, claimed he and his mom sat down to try to eat dinner at the shopping mall when they began seeing people today sprinting by the developing. He explained they started working, also, right after listening to a lady scream, “Run! There is a shooter!”
Santana claimed they hid in the back again of a shopping mall shop with workforce who shepherded them to security prior to police arrived to tell them to depart the creating.
“It’s terrifying. I hardly ever expected to be in this. I’m speechless,” Santana stated.
Police are inquiring any person who may possibly have gotten movie of the Helzberg Diamonds keep when the theft transpired to make sure you contact the section.
Law enforcement also stated the mall is shut for the night and will reopen Sunday.
