A shooting at the Westfield Wheaton mall in Maryland on Friday evening resulted in the injury of a 13-year-old boy and the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. ET.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show the moment the suspect, who had been seated, stood up and fired two shots from a handgun toward a group of shoppers. The shots struck a 13-year-old male in the leg. He was transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition.
Montgomery County police responded to reports of shots fired and, upon arrival, learned that a 17-year-old suspect had been apprehended. Commander David Smith of the Montgomery County Police Department stated that the suspect produced a handgun from a seated position near a Cinnabon on the mall's lower level and fired several rounds. "For reasons still under investigation that we don't know, the 17-year-old stood up from a seated position there, produced a handgun, and fired several rounds," Smith said.
Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene. He was subsequently confronted by an armed security officer who ordered him to the ground and detained him until police arrived. Officers took the suspect into custody and recovered the firearm.
No other individuals were injured during the incident. The Montgomery County Police Department is continuing its investigation into the events. Neither the suspect nor the victim have been publicly identified.