Police activity late Wednesday prompted a precautionary lockdown at Hilltop Mall in Richmond.

Richmond police said the incident started when officers attempted to stop a vehicle for a violation. The vehicle did not stop and drove into the mall parking lot area then all the suspects ran into the mall.

Police said two out of four young men inside the vehicle were armed with loaded firearms which were discarded inside the mall.

Several stores at the shopping center confirmed to NBC Bay Area they were on lockdown and were told to close their gates around 6:30 p.m. Mall security at 7:40 p.m. said the lockdown was lifted.

Three of the suspects were arrested and one remains at large.

No other information was immediately available.