Dec 16, 2024
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- Families scrambling for the best holiday deals at the Valley Plaza Mall started running for their lives after reports of shots fired Sunday. Some shoppers shared their experiences during the tense moments. "They were like, 'Yeah, there's an emergency, emergency! Active shooter!'" Jorge Rivas said. "I just saw people running into the stock room. It wasn't just employees. It was also customers too," said Journeys employee Yvette Pantoja. Liliana and Fidel Robles reacted quickly to keep their family safe. "Adrenaline. Adrenaline. Trying to make sure my daughter and her baby were safe." Bakersfield police swarmed the building at 4:15 p.m. for a report of a possible assault with a deadly weapon. When officers arrived, there were additional reports of an active shooter. CHP patrol vehicle struck on Calloway Drive "We didn't hear any shooting, but we just saw a lot of people walking and looking very concerned, very scared," Rivas explained. All the stores went on lockdown while officers blocked mall entrances to search for a gunman. "I grabbed my two kids that were with me, through them inside JC Penney's while they went on lockdown, and I told them I was headed to look for my other daughter and the baby that had left to the restroom," Robles said. Social media scanner pages swelled with rumors. Some said they heard gunshots., while others said it was a man having a seizure. Shopper Janet Mariscal said, "Ladies say the guy was going crazy. That there was a man and he was going crazy and he broke glasses." Coroner identifies 21-year-old involved in Manor Street crash People left their food and their belongings behind to get to safety. Even Santa was injured during the incident. "Santa got hurt, He fell trying to run. So, he's out for the day," Robles said. Some people on sites like Nextdoor say people were trampled during the panic. Shopper Janet Mariscal gave some advice for shoppers during the holiday season. "Just don't freak out in these situations, 'cause everybody's gonna freak out at some point and it's better to get out while we can then push and shove and hurt somebody else in the process, you know," said Mariscal. "Just stay calm." Bakersfield police say there are no victims, no suspects, no arrests and there was no shooting. The mall was reopened an hour after the craziness began, but many of the stores stayed closed.
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