Ontario Mills Mall shooting sparks panic among shoppers as a juvenile suspect is arrested by police: Here's what we know so far

An apparent shooting inside the Ontario Mills Mall in Ontario city of California triggered panic and caused shoppers to run for cover on Friday night (November 13), according to ABC7 and KTLA. The Ontario Police Department (OPD) said in a statement that it began receiving reports of a shooting at the shopping center shortly after 7 pm near the mall's No. 5 entrance.

What happened at Ontario Mills?

A video of the incident has surfaced, showing shoppers frantically running through the Ontario Mills Mall as shots rang. In the video, people could be seen running through the mall and food court, according to ABC7, which covers news from the region.


The shooting took place along the concourse of the mall near Dave & Buster's and Burlington, and not inside any specific shop, ABC7 reported. Police stated that no one was hit by the gunfire and nobody was injured, adding that the confirmed shooter, a juvenile, had been taken into custody.

No threat to the community

Officers said the scene was contained and that there was no longer a threat to the public, adding that an investigation was ongoing. "There is no threat to the community," the city police department said.

Investigators were not yet sure how many shots had been fired or who the intended target may have been. The motive behind the shooting remained under investigation and it was not known if a weapon had been recovered.

Police said they would release more details about the investigation at a later time. Police have not identified the suspect or released information about his age, ABC7 reported. Officials have also not said what charges the suspect might face.

Is Ontario Mills open?

Friday evening is among the busiest times at the outlet mall, which is one of the largest shopping centers in the Inland Empire. It was not clear whether Ontario Mills would open at its usual time on Saturday (November 14). Shoppers planning to visit should check the mall's website or social media accounts before going.

Ontario Mills had seen similar panic a few years ago. In May 2023, crowds fled after false reports of an active shooter, with police later saying no shots had been fired. A man was arrested on suspicion of making a false report of an emergency, ABC7 reported at that time.