Shooting at a mall in Florida

The shooting occurred at Paddock Mall at about 3:40 p.m. local time. The mall was cordoned off by police and evacuated.

Police said the suspect fled, but the incident is no longer considered a “developing active shooter situation.” That said, the Ocala Police Department urged people to avoid the area. Police are conducting a secondary sweep of the entire shopping center.

Authorities have asked for the public’s help in locating the shooter.

At this time, there are no details yet on exactly where in the mall the shooting occurred.

While at the mall, 18-year-old Syria Williams told ABC News that she was shopping with her mother at the Bath & Body Works store when she heard “multiple gunshots and chaos broke out.”

“The employees opened the back stockroom and told everyone to run,” reported Williams, who took cover behind the store’s counters.

Ocala is about 80 miles northwest of Orlando.

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