Gunfire Reported At The Gardens, Mall Closed As Police Investigate

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL — Gunshots were reported Wednesday afternoon at The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, according to authorities.

The mall was on lockdown as of about 3:45 p.m., authorities said, and, by roughly 5:30 p.m., it had been secured, with the mall closed for the rest of the evening and the final employees and customers being escorted from the property.

The incident was not an active shooter event and does not appear to be a random shooting, according to authorities.

Police were investigating leads into potential suspects, according to authorities.

A person in the mall told WPTV she heard five to 10 shots. Another person, Toni Lester, told the outlet she heard a bang and saw people running and that police were searching the vehicles of people leaving the mall.

Palm Beach State College was placed on lockdown around 4 p.m. due to the reported shooting and the campus was closed about 30 minutes later. Palm Tran routes serving the mall were delayed.

The reports of gunfire occurred on the sixth anniversary of the Parkland shooting that left 17 people dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.