Three Killed in a Mall shooting outside Washington

Shoppers walk past a stores in a mall in Columbia, Maryland

Washington (AFP) - Three people were killed in a shooting at a popular shopping mall in Columbia, Maryland, a suburb of the US capital, authorities said Saturday.

Howard County Police announced the fatalities via Twitter and urged people inside the suburban Columbia Mall "to stay in place." It said one of the dead was "located near gun and ammunition."

News reports said that the mall, located about 45 minutes outside Washington, was on "lockdown" because of an "active shooter situation."

Howard County Fire and Rescue tweeted they were en route to the scene, and urged local residents to "avoid area."

The mall of about 200 stores in Howard County, Maryland, is a popular weekend destination for families and young children for its indoor carousel and play area.

The Baltimore Sun newspaper said shoppers reported hearing gunfire before fleeing the upscale mall, home to several department stores such as Lord & Taylor, Macy's and Nordstrom.
NBC television spoke to one man who said he was in phone contact with his daughter, who was taking shelter in a Bank of America inside the shopping center, along with dozens of others.
The young woman described a chaotic scene as shoppers were told to evacuate or quickly take shelter.
"People were panicking," the man said.