‘Armed terrorist with an AR-15’: At least 3 shot at Arizona mall

CLICK HERE for updates on this story.

GLENDALE, Arizona -- One person was in critical condition and at least two others were also injured in a shooting Wednesday night near a popular shopping district west of Phoenix, police said, adding that a suspect was taken into custody.

The incident took place just before 8 p.m. local time at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, just outside Phoenix.

State Sen. Martín Quezada said he happened to be at the mall and witnessed the attack.

"I just witnessed an armed terrorist with an AR-15 shoot up Westgate. There are multiple victims," he wrote on Twitter.

"I saw 2 victims with my own eyes," Quezada added. "Not sure how many others. I saw the shooter. Being told not to say anything else about details 'til I speak to police. I'm ok. Lots of shaken up people."

One victim was listed in critical condition at a hospital while the others had non-life threatening injuries, Glendale Police Officer Tiffany Ngalula said late Wednesday night.

The shooting was over by the time officers arrived, Ngalula said, adding police “challenged the suspect and were able to take that person into custody.” The suspect’s identity had not been released.

Ngalula acknowledged reports that there may be video of the shooting and asked anyone with access to that evidence to turn it over to police. She was not immediately able to confirm that the gunman used an AR-15.

Authorities locked down the area after the mass shooting and were methodically going through businesses to search for any additional victims or suspects.

"There are no more reports of any active shooting. One suspect is in custody. We are shutting down the Westgate area to ensure everyone is safe," police tweeted at the time.

Authorities asked people still in the shopping complex to shelter-in-place while they ensured there were no other shooters or victims.

“With a scene of this magnitude, we are going to take our time with secondary searches,” Ngalula had told reporters.

The shopping center, part of a complex that includes arenas for Cardinals football and Coyotes hockey, was humming with activity after many of its stores and restaurants were closed for more than a month due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey also tweeted about the incident, saying the state's department of public safety had been in touch with the local police department.

"We are monitoring this closely ... and the state stands ready to support," the governor said late Wednesday night.

In a statement, Westgate Entertainment District said they were “deeply troubled by this incident and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.”

“Westgate will continue to work closely with the Glendale Police Department and in-house security to best ensure the safety of our customers, tenants and residents,” the statement said.

Indoor malls in Arizona began to reopen on May 16, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, azcentral.com reported. Outdoor malls reopened days prior.