PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. (WSVN) - An altercation at Pembroke Lakes Mall led shoppers to believe shots were being fired.
Pembroke Pines Police units were dispatched to the mall located along Pines Boulevard and Flamingo Road, just after 6 p.m., Friday.
Officials said a verbal altercation caused shoppers to run in a chaotic manner.
“The argument first unfolded as the result of a stroller,” said Pembroke Pines Police Sgt. Adam Feiner.
Officials said a man pushed a woman and punched another man. An off-duty officer took notice of the disturbance and rushed over.
“There was a lot of running from that scene,” Feiner said. “There was an extraordinary amount of people that were running in a chaotic fashion.”
A mall security guard saw the off-duty officer draw his gun and called police to report that shots had been fired, police said.
“This resulted in mall security representatives transmitting information, to law enforcement, that shots were fired,” a release stated.
Police tweeted that reports of shots fired at the mall were “unsubstantiated.”
Multiple witness statements of "shots fired" have been unsubstantiated at this point. Officers are finalizing securing the mall. No injuries regarding this incident.
— Pembroke Pines PD (@PPinesPD) December 22, 2018
“At no point were any shots fired,” Feiner said. “There was no threat to the community in any manner whatsoever, concerning a firearm being discharged.”
The mall was temporarily closed as officers conducted a sweep.
“Prompted an overwhelming response from law enforcement to see to it that the community was protected,” said Feiner.
Officials believe one person was hurt while trying to exit the mall.
Police gave the all-clear just after 7:30 p.m.
The shooting scare comes a week after a fire alarm led frightened shoppers to rush for the exit at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise.
A day later, three people were hospitalized after another fire alarm went off at Aventura Mall, causing a panic among shoppers.
Police offered advice for those caught in a mall scare.
“Catch your breath, take a moment to assess the situation, and think about what action you’re gonna take to avoid becoming a victim by being trampled,” Feiner said.
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