Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Columbia police say surveillance video has yet to give them any real evidence that shots were fired last Saturday night at the Columbiana Centre Mall in Harbison.
Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said investigators are still making contact with the more than 100 stores to see if they may have video that shows what happened, and they're working with corporate offices to obtain additional recordings. Previous Coverage:Police Look for Two Suspects After Report of Shots Fired
Around 7 p.m., police say there was a fist-fight outside Kay Jewelers near the food court inside the shopping center. During the incident, several witnesses said two men pulled out guns.
On Saturday, police reported that the men fired shots in the air, but officers said Monday that no witnesses confirmed seeing the men actually discharge their weapons. Officers also say they have not been able to find any shell casings.
Police say officers did find a book bag while searching a wooded area near the mall that had several soft air guns inside it. The guns look similar to a .45 caliber handgun and Glock, and an SKS assault rifle. Police are trying to determine if the items are connected to the shooting.
Officers are asking surrounding businesses to determine if their security cameras might have captured images of the men either entering or leaving the property.
Customers in the area believed shots had been fired, and store employees and customers ran inside shops and closed the front gates to seek safety.A short time later, police evacuated the building, and searched the stores one-by-one.
The mall was closed for the remainder of the night, but it reopened on Sunday.
Psychologist Dr. Frederic Meadway says that what's difficult about shootings, like this one, is not necessarily the danger, rather the unpredictability.
"The key is whether or not you go back, because when it comes to traumas and fears and anxiety, usually what makes this stuff last is never actually testing it" said Dr. Meadway.
"If you have some apprehension, you really should try and go back soon because the longer you wait the more the apprehension is going to grow"he says it's important to reestablish a sense of feeling safe.
"At Columbiana Centre, the safety of our guests and tenants is our highest priority," Columbiana Centre mall said in a statement. "We are fully cooperating with the law enforcement authorities and are offering our assistance to help them apprehend the offenders. We pride ourselves on providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all of our guests."
Anyone who may have information on the shooting, including pictures or other forms of evidence, can contact Crimestoppers at any of the following ways.
CALL toll-free, 888-CRIME-SC.
TEXT to CRIMES (274637), and mark the beginning of the message with "TIPSC," followed by the tip information.
LOG onto: www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the red "Submit a tip" tab.
