[ Update: Initial reports of a Roosevelt Field Mall shooting were later clarified, and no shooting took place at the shopping center. An adjacent workplace shooting unrelated to the mall resulted in a lockdown of surrounding areas, leading to speculation that the event had been connected with the landmark mall. The incident was later determined to be unconnected with the Roosevelt Field Mall, and the shooter was not found on or near the property. ]
An active shooter at the Roosevelt Field Mall in Nassau County, New York has been reported, and police in Nassau confirm that a shooting took place at the shopping center today.
Details about the Roosevelt Field Mall shooting are hazy, but initial reports suggest that one person was killed, and a manhunt is underway for the shooter. ( Update: police in Nassau say a man named Sang Ho Kim, 63, of Queens , is wanted in connection with the shooting. )
Newsday , a paper that covers the area, was on scene in Garden City — where shoppers say the timing is worrisome after the recent violent mall attack in Kenya. Nancy Petrillo of Garden City told a reporter:
“This is terrifying… After what happened in Kenya, everyone is already on edge.”
NBCNewYork confirms that the shooting happened in a building adjacent to the Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, confirming that one person has died and another was shot, condition unavailable :
“Police said the suspect entered a building on South Street, near the Roosevelt Field Mall and BJ’s Wholesale Club in East Garden City, shortly after 10 a.m. and opened fire… He fled, possibly in a white Honda, after shooting the two victims. The condition of the surviving victim wasn’t immediately clear.”
Recent reports from the scene at Roosevelt Field indicate that the mall is currently in lockdown, with shoppers being ordered to remain in place as the shooter is sought. No one is currently being permitted to enter the mall as a precaution.
Twitter reports also indicate that local schools have been placed on lockdown as the Roosevelt Field Mall shooting is investigated.
Unconfirmed reports on Twitter suggest that a manhunt is underway for a man matching the following description, and indicating the Roosevelt Field Mall shooting was a “workplace” shooting:
Roosevelt field mall on lockdown so is all nassau county school districts. asian male 63 shot two employees. Driving honda pilot FMA 3648.
— julia correa (@juliacorrea24) September 25, 2013
Several outlets have condemned media requests for Roosevelt shooting witnesses to tweet updates from the secured mall:
Poynter article on this tweet in 3…2… RT @eyewitnessnyc : Are you locked in the Roosevelt Field Mall due to shooting? Tweet us!
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) September 25, 2013
UPDATE, 12:33 PM:
RT @eyewitnessnyc “Suspect in #GardenCity shooting driving a white Honda Pilot New York license plate FMA 3648″ – near Roosevelt Field Mall
— Just Me (@CLedgin) September 25, 2013
COPS: Incident happened at #Savenergy , 645 South Street, near Roosevelt Field Mall. Suspect still being sought. Nothing else confirmed. #LI
— Steve Scott (@SteveScottWCBS) September 25, 2013
Students at nearby Hofstra University — where a student was killed earlier this year in a police shootout — have been warned to remain away from the Roosevelt Field Mall:
@HofstraU inform students of Roosevelt Field mall shooter.Don’t venture near mall.
— Kerri Matuszak (@preemiememe) September 25, 2013
Update, 12:37 PM, reports Nassau Community College is also on lockdown:
SUNY NCC on lockdown. Shooting occurred in the area of Roosevelt Field Mall.
— Rosanne Humes (@rmz57) September 25, 2013
Update, 12:47 PM, the official Facebook page for the Roosevelt Field Mall is confirming that the area is on lockdown, and no one is allowed in or out of the facility:
[fb link=”https://www.facebook.com/RooseveltField/posts/661662593868090″][[/fb]
Per direction from Nassau County Police Department, Roosevelt Field is on lockdown. The mall has not been evacuated at this time.
— Roosevelt Field (@RooseveltField) September 25, 2013
The suspected shooter wanted in connection with the Roosevelt Field Mall shooting remains at large.
