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A British woman is among thousands of terrified shoppers who fled a mall in Florida this afternoon following reports shots were fired.

Police have confirmed a man was taken to hospital with a "trauma wound" after the terrifying incident unfolded in the food court at the Boca Raton shopping centre just after 3pm local time.

The victim's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, a police spokesman said but he refused to confirm if he had suffered a gunshot wound.

Cath Smith, from Scotland, has described seeing people running, screaming "and looking panicked" before she was locked in the back of a Tiffany's store.

Other customers with "the look of fear in their eyes" fled, while many barricaded themselves in stores after shouts of 'shooter' and 'gun' were heard.

Police said they were dealing with an "active situation" following "reports of a shooting".

They later issued an update to say there was no "active shooter" but there had been reports of shots fired.

Are you in the area or did you see what happened? Email webnews@trinitymirror.com

(Image: Twitter)

A spokesman said they are yet to confirm if shots were actually fired, they have not recovered any weapons and have no one in custody or suspect information they are releasing.

They said the investigation will be a "slow, methodical process" and would not comment on whether the man's injury was self-inflicted, or if the victim was the same man pictured in a photo on social media covered in blood in the car park.

A police spokesman told reporters to take social media rumours with "grain of salt".

They had warned earlier: "Avoid the area and shelter in place.

"All persons in Town Center Mall shelter in place while police and SWAT teams conduct search of mall."

Shoppers frantically texted and phoned their loved ones from inside as the situation unfolded.

There were also said to be scenes of "mass panic" as people attempted to leave, while police went from store to store escorting those to safety.

Cath, who moved to Florida from Scotland seven years ago, told Mirror Online: "I didn’t hear shots, but saw everyone running in opposite direction to Macys, screaming and looking panicked.

"Then security locked the doors and ushered us into the vault in the back of the store.

"The security guy at Tiffany’s is in touch with mall security and the police have apprehended one shooter. He was told there was one active shooter in Macys and one outside."

She added: "I’m from Scotland and I’m coming home after this. It’s the last straw.

(Image: Twitter)

"I am really sick of the gun culture. If this country doesn’t get its act together it’s going to descend into chaos - it may already be there."

Meanwhile, one mum has also told of how her daughter "came home in tears (and I am too) after leaving the mall and seeing people running, screaming, strollers just abandoned as people ran out."

Another said it was the "scariest moment of their life" as they grabbed their children and sprinted towards the exit.

People were being urged to stay away from the area while emergency services, including an armed SWAT team, descended on the scene.

One person wrote on Twitter: "My wife is a store manager at the Boca Raton Mall. Herself, employees and customers have locked themselves into the stock room because of an active shooter."

Another added: "Scariest call I ever got was just now from my girl. Went out to shop for a dress to go to my uncle's wedding and someone starts shooting while she’s there. Most helpless I’ve ever felt."

(Image: Google)

And a third said: "Apparently a shooting is taking place here on the town center mall- we’re all locked on a back of a store here in Boca Raton Florida, everyone stay away from here!!!"

Others reported a lot of "chaos and confusion going on".

One shopper said: "Currently in saks. It’s locked down from the inside."

And another wrote: "I was just there. Everyone was fleeing the scene. I did not see or hear any shooter from where I was in the mall. I am concerned, though."

Boca Raton Police tweeted earlier: "Reports of a shooting at Town Center Mall.

"Boca Raton Police is on scene and currently conducting an active search of the area. Please avoid the mall area."

Fire trucks and police were surrounding every entrance.