An armed security guard detained a teenage suspect after a 13-year-old boy was shot in the leg inside Westfield Wheaton Mall on Friday evening, Montgomery County Police said.
Officers responded to the shooting around 6 p.m. Friday, according to a news release from the Montgomery County Police Department.
The suspect, a 17-year-old, stood from a seat in the lower level of the mall near the Cinnabon and fired a 9-mm handgun, Montgomery County Police Commander David Smith said. The suspect struck the 13-year-old with a shot and fled the scene, according to the news release.
A video shared online and verified by police shows a group of teenagers walking by the suspect, who is seated at a table. After the group passes him, the 17-year-old gets up from his seat, walks toward the group and fires four shots before running away.
People sitting and standing nearby duck and run. Parents of children playing in the playpen behind the shooter pick up their kids, some of whom scream after the gunfire.
Police said the 17-year-old is being charged as an adult with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a violent felony, carrying a loaded handgun on his person and possession of a firearm by a minor.
The Banner does not name suspects who are younger than 18.
An armed security guard at Dick’s Sporting Goods stopped the suspect, took him to the ground and detained him until police arrived.
The victim was taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. It was not immediately clear what led to the shooting.
Montgomery County Police are investigating.
Westfield Wheaton is a large indoor mall that has been around since 1960 and is filled with dozens of major retailers, restaurants and an AMC movie theater. The mall is an economic center of Wheaton, according to a 2023 county report.
This article has been updated.
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