Cascade Mall Suspect Now in Custody After Allegedly Killing Five

Update:

BURLINGTON, Wash. (AP) — Authorities: Suspect in deadly Washington state mall shooting in custody. Details are pending. Release of the name of the suspect is not expected until Monday.

— from the Associated Press —

The first 911 call came in just before 7 p.m. on a busy Friday night at the Cascade Mall: A man with a rifle was shooting at people in the Macy’s Department Store.

By the time police arrived moments later, the carnage at the Macy’s makeup counter was complete. Four people were dead and the shooter was gone, last seen walking toward Interstate 5. A fifth victim, a man, died in the early morning hours Saturday as police finished sweeping the 434,000-square-foot building.

“There are people waking up this morning and their world has changed forever. The city of Burlington has probably changed forever, but I don’t think our way life needs to change,” Burlington Mayor Steve Sexton said Saturday at a news conference. “This was a senseless act. It was the world knocking on our doorstep and it came into our little community.”

As the small city absorbed the news, critical questions remained, including the identity of the shooter, his motive and his whereabouts. A massive manhunt continued and police broadcast a plea for tips. The FBI said terrorism was not suspected.

The gunman was described by witnesses to police as a young Hispanic man dressed in black. Surveillance video captured him entering the mall unarmed and then recorded him about 10 minutes later entering the Macy’s with a “hunting type” rifle in his hand, Mount Vernon Police Lt. Chris Cammock said.

Authorities did not say how the suspect may have obtained the weapon – whether he retrieved it from outside or picked it up in the mall – but they believe he acted alone. The weapon was recovered at the scene.

The identities of the victims – four women who ranged in age from a teenager to a senior citizen – were withheld pending autopsies and notification of family. The identity of the man who was fatally shot was also withheld.

“Probably one of the most difficult moments for us last night was knowing that there were family members wondering about their loved ones in there,” Cammock said.

SOURCE: Associated Press