GREENVILLE, N.C. — Two men were hospitalized following a North Carolina mall shooting that happened on Black Friday.
Greenville, North Carolina Police said that around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, officers responded to the Greenville Mall where a shooting had just occurred. Officers found two victims inside not far from the American Eagle store - both of whom were men from Greenville.
The two were both taken to East Carolina University (ECU) Health Medical Center for treatment and, as of Saturday morning, one was still receiving treatment. Based on details released on Saturday, it's clear that one of the two was shot. The other victim's injuries were not specified.
"While this appears to have been an isolated incident between individuals who were known to each other, and not an “active shooter” situation, the Greenville Police Department recognizes that thousands of shoppers who were out and about for the holiday weekend were exposed to this unnecessary violence," the department said in a statement.
Police also acknowledged that the shooting comes amidst multiple "mass casualty incidents" that have communities across the country on edge.
The department also took a moment to highlight the efforts of one of its own officers who was hired as security at a department store in the mall.
"A GPD officer who was proactively hired by Belk to have a presence in their store for Black Friday shopping, heard the shots from his assignment, allowing for an immediate response from law enforcement and no further injuries," the statement continued.
The department continued by thanking the fast actions of numerous store employees who helped get customers to safety and also the ECU Police Department for their assistance.
As of Saturday, the shooting was still under investigation. Police said an update would be provided once the shooter was taken into custody.
