An altercation between three to five males at the Moreno Valley Mall led to gunshots fired and a lockdown of the mall that lasted about two hours Thursday afternoon, Feb. 8, a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department spokesman said.

As a helicopter circled overhead, deputies swarmed the mall about noon after receiving a report of gunfire there. No injuries were reported.

Investigators are looking into how many shots were fired and they have gathered some evidence, sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Mike Vasquez wrote in an email.

As of early evening, no one was in custody and no suspect description had been released.

The lockdown, lifted at about 2 p.m., meant movement of anyone in the mall was restricted, and was in place so deputies could conduct a systematic search of the property, Vasquez wrote.

The mall is just south of and visible from the 60 Freeway, between Day and Frederick streets. The mall is almost 26 years old with anchor stores including Macy’s, JCPenney, Sears and Harkins Theatres.

Soon after the incident was reported, the Sheriff’s Department said via Twitter that there was no active shooter and that no victims had been located.

#MoValPD investigating report of possible gunshots heard at Moreno Valley Mall. Police on scene. Not active shooter situation. More details to follow — Riverside County Sheriff Media Info Bureau (@RSOmedia) February 8, 2018

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department also responded to the mall at 22500 Town Circle.

Just after noon, nursing students in scrubs hurried out of the mall. One of them embraced a man waiting for her in the parking lot.

One woman who was getting her hair done and still had foil in her hair hurriedly made her way out of the mall through an employee entrance as deputies in tactical vests made their way inside.

Several @rso deputies just soed around the corner near the JCPenney at the Moreno Valley Mall and entered. pic.twitter.com/ZIsNsqCLEq — Beatriz Valenzuela (@BeatrizVNews) February 8, 2018

Karla Capistran, who works in the food court on the upper level of the mall, said she heard two shots downstairs. Soon after the shots were fired, witnesses said mallgoers panicked.

Several mall employees who did not want to be identified said a fight broke out between at least three young men between the ages of 16 and 20 near the Kay Jewelers and Victoria’s Secret stores on the lower level in the northern portion of the mall. They said someone then pulled out a gun and fired.

Most customers and several of the employees who evacuated during the lockdown left; others stayed and returned to either work or shop.

Staff writer Brian Rokos contributed to this story.

Deputies monitor the lower level of the Moreno Valley Mall, where a report of gunshots was reported about noon Thursday, Feb. 8. Photo by Beatriz E. Valenzuela, Staff

A deputy monitors one of the entrances of the Moreno Valley Mall, where a report of gunshots was reported about noon Thursday, Feb. 8. Photo by Beatriz E. Valenzuela, Staff

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Deputies enter the Moreno Valley Mall, where a report of gunshots was reported about noon Thursday, Feb. 8. Photo by Beatriz E. Valenzuela, Staff

