Three shot dead at a Washington state mall as police search for Hispanic gunman armed with a rifle
- Authorities are looking for the gunman who opened fire at a mall north of Seattle on Friday evening
- At least three people were confirmed dead after the shooting at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, authorities said
- Police are actively searching for a Hispanic man wearing a black shirt who was last seen walking toward Interstate 5 from the mall
- Three women were killed and two were wounded, including a man suffering life-threatening injuries, police said
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Authorities are looking for the active shooter who opened fire during a deadly shooting at a mall north of Seattle on Friday evening.
At least three people have been confirmed dead after the shooting at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, about 65 miles north of Seattle, the Washington State Patrol said.
The gunman walked into the Macy's department store and opened fire around 7.30pm local time, according to KCPQ.
Authorities are currently searching for a Hispanic man wearing a black shirt who was last seen walking toward Interstate 5 from the mall, Sgt. Mark Francis said.
Officials released a still from video surveillance of a young-looking suspect holding what appears to be a rifle.
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Authorities are searching for a Hispanic man armed with a rifle and wearing black who was last seen walking toward Interstate 5 from a mall north of Seattle following a shooting on Friday
At least three people were confirmed dead on Friday evening at the Cascade Mall in Burlington (pictured), the Washington State Patrol said on Twitter
Video from the scene showed a heavy police force swarming the mall on Friday evening
'We are still actively looking for the shooter. Stay indoors, stay secure,' Francis said at a news conference.
Francis said the gunman, who is said to be armed with a rifle, left the scene before police arrived. The rifle the suspect appears to be carrying looks similar to a Marlin Model 60 or Ruger 10/22.
Authorities believe there is only one shooter and said the motive was unknown.
Three women were killed in the shooting, and two were wounded, including a man suffering life-threatening injuries and a woman with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
The Washington State Patrol had previously said on Twitter that four were shot.
The mall had been evacuated by 8.30pm local time and emergency medical personnel were cleared to enter and attend to any injuries.
It was not immediately clear how many people were hurt.
A local hospital told a CBS affiliate that it has received one causality from the shooting.
The station also reported that a nearby high school football game and neighboring businesses were evacuated as a precaution.
Police evacuated the mall before escorting emergency responders inside to tend to the wounded whose injuries are not known at this time
The gunman walked into the Macy's department store (pictured) and opened fire around 7.30pm local time
Police received calls around 6.58pm local time that shots were fired at the mall, Trooper Rick Johnson told CNN.
'Right now we can't assume anything,' he said.
'So they're still interviewing witnesses and trying to get a good idea of exactly what action to take next.
'We're just asking people to, obviously, stay away from the area. Stay inside and obviously report anything suspicious that they may see.'
Gov. Jay Inslee said tragedy has struck in Washington state in Burlington.
The Cascade Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Burlington, Washington. The shooter was last seen walking towards Interstate 5
The governor said in a statement that many questions remain but state patrol and local law enforcement are on the scene working swiftly to locate the shooter and clear the area.
'Trudi and I send our condolences to the families of the victims and prayers for anyone injured,' Inslee said.
'We urge residents to heed all safety and detour warnings.
'Stay close to your friends and loved ones as we await more information and, hopefully, news of the suspect's capture.'
Video from the scene showed a heavy police force swarming the mall on Friday evening.
Law enforcement officers are pictured standing in front of the Macy's department store following Friday's shooting
Police received calls around 6.58pm local time that shots were fired at the mall
Streets surrounding the mall and access roads to entrances to the facility had been closed off by police.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives said Friday night it was deploying to Burlington, Washington.
The Skagit County Department of Emergency Management asked the public avoid the Cascade Mall area while authorities search for the gunman.
Law enforcement also asked residents to stay inside and to contact police if they see anything suspicious.
An employee at a restaurant near the deadly mall shooting said they 'immediately locked the doors' when they heard of the mayhem unfolding on Friday night.
Stephanie Bose, an assistant general manager at Johnny Carino's Italian restaurant near Cascade Mall in Burlington, Washington, told The Associated Press the shooting happened inside the Macy's department store.
Her restaurant is just outside the Macy's.
A boyfriend of one of Bose's employees came into the restaurant after trying to go to the mall.
Law enforcement officers work at the crime scene outside of Cascade Mall on Friday night
She said he saw people screaming and police blocking the door with assault rifles.
'He was trying to go to the mall and people were screaming,' she said. 'It was frantic.'
She said he could see police at the doors with assault rifles and said they were no longer guarding the doors as of 9.30pm local time.
After police evacuated the building, buses were transporting survivors to His Place Church in Burlington, Francis said.
Francis also said those who have cars in the parking lot can pick them up sometime tomorrow.
The Cascade Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Burlington, Washington that opened in 1990, according to the mall's website.
It features J.C. Penney, TJ Maxx, and Macy's stores, among other stores, restaurants and a movie theater.
The shooting comes less than a week after a man stabbed nine people at a mall in central Minnesota before being shot dead.
The FBI is investigating that attack as a potential act of terrorism.
NBC News reported that Washington State Patrol have said that there is no indication of terrorism in the shooting in Burlington.
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