The Hampden County District Attorney’s Office said the victim was an innocent bystander to a confrontation Saturday between two other people at the Holyoke Mall.
A man is dead after a shooting at a mall Saturday evening in Holyoke, Massachusetts, officials announced.
The Hampden District Attorney's Office released a statement saying the Holyoke Police Department and Massachusetts State Police are conducting a homicide investigation after the fatal shooting at Holyoke Mall.
Police were called to the shopping center on Holyoke Street just before 7 p.m. for a report of shots fired and found a man who had been shot. The suspect was immediately taken into custody, the district attorney said.
According to the DA's office, the incident occurred between two known parties, and the victim was an innocent bystander to a confrontation between the two other people. Authorities did not specify where the shooting happened inside the shopping center, and they have not identified the man who was killed, or the person who is in custody.
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Massachusetts State Police confirmed to NBC10 Boston that there was a shooting at the mall Saturday afternoon, noting it was not an active shooter situation, something later echoed by the mayor. State police said detectives and crime scene technicians were on scene.
There is no ongoing threat to public safety as it relates to this incident, the DA added. Holyoke police reiterated that message during a press conference Saturday note, noting however that there would be an increased police presence at the mall when it reopens Sunday.
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In the press conference posted to the mayor's Facebook page, officials also offered their prayers and condolences to the victim's family.
Details were initially limited Saturday night, with Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia announcing in a statement posted to his Facebook page that the police department had been called to the mall, where an alleged shooter was in custody. The mayor also said one person had been injured in the shooting, but did not immediately offer further information on the extent of the victim's injuries or their condition.
The mayor did say that the Holyoke Street area was secure, and an investigation was active and ongoing.
Speaking alongside police Saturday night, the mayor offered his condolences to the victim's family, friends and co-workers, adding that this was an isolated incident. Garcia also praised the police who responded to the scene, as well as mall personnel and mall security, who "did what they are trained to do" when situations like this occur.
The mayor said he wanted to "get in front of" the incident as quick as possible, in order to be as transparent as possible with the public and to assure them it's being handled.
The mall shared a brief post on Facebook, announcing it is currently closed and will reopen at 11 a.m. Sunday. They did not share why the shopping center had shut down early.
Several hours later, the Pyramid Management Group released a statement on behalf of the mall's marketing director, saying, "We do not condone violence of any kind in our community. We are actively cooperating with law-enforcement in the investigation of this incident and understand that the suspect was immediately taken into custody and that there is no ongoing public safety threat as it relates to this incident. Our thoughts this evening remain with the victim and their family during this difficult time."
The Holyoke Mall bills itself as western New England's "premier shopping destination" in the city's Ingleside neighborhood with nearly 150 dining, entertainment and retail locations on three levels, all conveniently located near the interchange of Interstates 90 and 91.
An active homicide investigation is ongoing into what happened Saturday night.
