HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – Both the Massachusetts State Police and the Holyoke Police Department responded to reports of shots fired inside of the Holyoke Mall just before 7 p.m. Saturday evening.
“Upon arrival a male victim was discovered on the scene and a suspect was immediately taken into custody, the incident which resulted in a fatality occurred between two known parties. The victim was an innocent bystander between two other people,” said Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt at news conference Saturday night.
As soon as shots were heard inside, mallgoers told 22News that some commotion and panic set in.
“It got crazy to be honest the whole place got crazy, everyone was running everywhere,” Jonie of Holyoke recalled.
The mall quickly went into their active shooter protocol with employees and patrons hiding in the back of stores. Miranda Trombley of Northampton, who was shopping in a jewelry store with her kids, when people in the mall started reacting to the shooting. She spoke to 22News spoke on the phone while sheltering in place at the store.
“Then all of sudden everyone started running toward the left side of the mall, yelling there was an active shooter. So the people here, the workers, told us all to run to the back. Yeah, I was just trying to get my kids to some kinds of safety….. wherever, however as fast as I could,” said Trombley.
About three hours following the fatal incident, a news conference was held where the mayor of Holyoke addressed the public and let it be known that more information will come about and that there is no ongoing threat to public.
It’s still being actively investigated, we will hear more from their investigation but certainly, my chief, myself, the people behind me wanted to be sure we got in front of this to the public to be sure that the public knows; isolated incident this wasn’t an active shooter situation.
Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia