Two young men died and a third was hospitalized after a fight turned to gunfire inside a mall in Michigan Friday, according to authorities.
Shots rang out at around 1:45 p.m. inside Fairlane Town Center, where responding cops found the three victims and started rendering first aid, Dearborn Police Department Chief Issa Shahin said during a news conference in the shopping center’s parking lot.
“Two of them were transported to an area hospital. One of them expired at the hospital, and the other one passed away here inside the mall,” Shahin said, adding that all three victims were males in their “late teens to early 20s.”
The third victim’s injuries weren’t immediately clear.
Cops believe all three were “involved” in the incident that sparked the shooting, which started after an argument broke out between two groups of people, the Dearborn Police Department said in a statement.
“It was between two parties that knew each other here at the mall, and a fight began and escalated in gunfire,” Shahin said during the news conference, adding that two individuals were carrying handguns.
“I don’t know the motive for it, but it appears they know each other, and they met here at the mall, and a fight ensued and escalated,” the chief added.
Shahin said several witnesses were brought to the police station for questioning and the mall will remain closed for “at least the next couple of hours” as authorities continue their probe.
It’s possible that one of the people already at the station is the shooter and will soon be arrested, he noted.
An individual was hit by a car outside of the mall while fleeing the gunfire, the chief said — while cops swarmed to the area and the police department issued a “significant incident” alert about the shooting on social media.
“We are asking residents and visitors to avoid the area while officers secure the scene and investigators conduct their work,” the department said in a statement.
An image obtained by Fox 2 News Detroit appears to show the alleged shooter holding a firearm inside the mall, while tangled with at least two other people.
“These kinds of acts of violence are completely unacceptable … the fact this happened at a public place where people are shopping — a mall — is unconscionable,” Shahin said.
“The loss of life is tragic. My condolences go out to the families of those involved in this incident. We’ll get to the bottom of it,” the chief concluded.
Dearborn Police said its investigation was active and ongoing and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
\
No arrests have been made so far.
Officers from the Michigan State Police are assisting local investigators, a rep for the agency confirmed to The Post.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any further information is strongly encouraged to contact the Police Department at 313-943-2240.