SAN ANTONIO – Authorities said an accused robber shot three people at Rolling Oaks Mall, killing a person who tried to stop him.

“It’s absolutely senseless. This is the second time a good Samaritan was killed trying to intervene in a crime to help a victim,” San Antonio police Chief William McManus said.

Police said clearing the mall of people inside, some who were still hiding, has been a slow process. A police K-9 is on standby for a final sweep of the building.

San Antonio police evidence technicians have had a lot of ground to cover inside the mall. In a matter of minutes, it became a large crime scene.

“So what we have here is a robbery gone really, really bad,” McManus said.

McManus said one of two good Samaritans who tried to stop the suspects was shot to death after the attempted robbery at Kay Jewelers.

“He (good Samaritan) had a concealed carry license. He shot the suspect who shot the good Samaritan trying to intervene,” McManus said.

The robber who was shot was taken to San Antonio Military Medical Center. The other robber fled.

“The second suspect, when the shooting started, he ran through the mall in the other direction, shooting as he ran,” McManus said.

“There were several shots. I mean, it was pop, pop, like, bang, like, real loud bangs,” said Benjamin Arsate, who was inside the mall during the shooting.

“So you can imagine all the people in the mall, all the people sheltering in place,” said San Antonio fire Chief Charles Hood.

Among the people hidden was a couple's teenage daughter, an employee at J.C. Penney's, who had been texting her mother from where she and others were hiding.

“She did say she's around some 70 employees and customers,” said Allyson Hamby, the employee’s mother.

Police said the alleged shooter is in critical condition, and two other victims who were shot, a man and a woman, are in stable condition.

The situation was so chaotic that two people complained of chest pains and labor pains.

The second attempted robber was arrested Sunday night, police said. They said more information will become available at a later time.