Police: Utah mall shooting that wounded 2 was gang dispute

MURRAY, Utah (AP) — A shooting at a suburban Salt Lake City mall that sent hundreds of panicked shoppers fleeing started as an argument between rival gang members inside the mall and later erupted in gunfire outside, leaving two people wounded, police said today.

Two 19-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of attempted aggravated murder, but investigators are not yet sure if either of them fired the shots that hit the victims, who were also involved in the fight, said Kenny Bass, a police spokesman in the Salt Lake City suburb of Murray.

Shots were fired by the both sides, and those injured were believed to be people with the gangs. No bystanders were hit or injured, Bass said.

Compounding the pandemonium, a fire alarm at the Fashion Place mall that had been malfunctioning for days went off inside the mall, sending people running for exits, Bass said.

Shoppers reported hearing the alarm after the shooting started about 1:30 p.m. and evacuation orders over a loudspeaker, while employees said they hunkered down in stockrooms and waited.

Mauricio Caballero heard the gunfire from the B'Hood clothing cart where he works and ran to find a friend before racing out of the mall. He said it was the third time in a month the fire alarm sounded randomly, but Caballero said he thinks the alarm helped people who did not hear the gunfire get to safety quickly

"The universe is taking care of us," said Caballero, 21.

Investigators are still looking for others involved in the dispute and trying to locate more witnesses, Bass said.

The members of the rival gangs crossed paths by chance in the mall and their argument turned physical after it went outside, Bass said.

One of the two victims, a woman in her early 20s, was treated and released hours after the shooting broke out, Bass said.

A man, also in his early 20s, remained hospitalized tonight in critical condition.