Santé Clara, California — Chaos erupted at the Westfield Valley Fair mall during the busy Black Friday shopping frenzy as gunfire rang out, leaving three individuals injured. Authorities reported that the injured, including a man, a woman, and a 16-year-old girl, all sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and were subsequently hospitalized.
San José Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jorge Garibay assured the public that the shooting was not directed at shoppers but stemmed from an altercation between two individuals. He indicated that the two female victims were bystanders with no connection to the confrontation. The suspected shooter managed to evade capture, and police did not recover a weapon at the scene.
Witnesses described scenes of utter pandemonium as shoppers scrambled for safety. Shawn Kulasingham, who was at the mall with relatives, recounted hearing a loud bang around 5:35 p.m., quickly followed by a mass exodus of people fleeing in all directions. Seeking refuge, he and his family ducked into an Abercrombie & Fitch store, hiding among the clothing racks for about 20 minutes before being escorted out by police.
As they exited, Kulasingham noted the distressing atmosphere. “The fear was palpable. It’s tough when something like this happens during the holiday season,” he said, reflecting on how unsettling it felt, especially in light of recent violence in his hometown. He had left behind a purchased coat in the rush.
Other patrons also experienced the tumult. Bilal Zuberi and his wife were among around 20 individuals sheltered in a Bloomingdale’s storage closet when the incident unfolded. Though they didn’t hear the shots, Zuberi observed widespread panic and an announcement instructing people to stay put as the situation developed.
Emergency services received early calls at 5:55 p.m., indicating that there were injuries and a shooter still at large. Witnesses reported seeing multiple people taking cover and noted a trail of bullet casings and blood coming from the vicinity of Macy’s. Law enforcement soon arrived at the scene, encountering a chaotic environment as numerous patrons attempted to flee, creating traffic congestion on adjacent streets.
Following the incident, San José Mayor Matt Mahan addressed the community through social media, offering prayers for those injured and expressing confidence in the police’s efforts to apprehend the shooter. Garibay confirmed that the shooting occurred on the second floor of Macy’s and highlighted the need for community vigilance while the mall remained closed, halting operations for an indefinite period.
Westfield Valley Fair, one of the largest malls in the San Francisco Bay Area, boasts extensive retail space, and a recent expansion was completed a few years ago. The complex straddles two cities: its eastern section is situated in San José while the western section lies within Santa Clara. The incident has raised security concerns in a location typically bustling with holiday shoppers.