CERRITOS, CA – A shooting at a popular shopping mall in Cerritos, California, involving a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer resulted in one death on Friday. The shooting occurred near the Nordstrom of the Los Cerritos Center, according to local law enforcement.
Following the shooting, a chase ensued on the 605 Freeway, before concluding about seven miles away from the mall. The incident prompted a lockdown at the mall, the duration of which hasn’t been disclosed.
The person involved in the shooting was rushed to a nearby hospital after the incident. Unfortunately, they did not survive and were declared dead at the hospital. Their identity remains undisclosed at the time of reporting.
One mall patron, Jessie Avila, received word of the incident via a text message from her daughter who works there. “She messaged me, she text messaged me that there was a shooting inside the store and everywhere you can hear it,” Avila said.
At least two persons were taken into custody in relation to the shootings, while a third person surrendered in the parking lot. However, it remains unclear if this third person was also taken into custody.
The exact circumstances that led up to the deadly shooting are still being investigated. Police have not yet disclosed the identity of the deceased or the names of the officers involved in the shooting.