This report was updated at 11:30pm.
Three shoppers at Westfield Valley Fair Mall were reported injured late this afternoon in a Black Friday shooting that locked down the busy holiday shopping destination for more than an hour.
San Jose police were speaking to witnesses and searching for one or more suspects into the night.
An undetermined number of shots had rung out around 5:30pm, sending terrified shoppers crouching for cover in the sprawling shopping center. Police said two adults and one teenager were being treated at a local hospital for non life-threatening gunshot wounds.
The mall was in a police-ordered lockdown for nealry 90 minutes, then dozens of police officers managed evacuations of shoppers at one of California's biggest malls on the biggest shopping day of the year.
Police tend to an injured shopper at Valley Fair Mall, scene of a Black Friday shooting. Screen capture of East Side San Jose Times video posted on Facebook.
Despite assurances that there no longer was any danger, hundreds of anxious shoppers ran from the large shopping mall towards parking lots on Stevens Creek Boulevard.
Six hours after the shooting, it could not be determined if police had any suspect or suspects in custody.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan released a statement later in the evening suggesting that police were still looking for a suspect or suspects.
San Jose police reported the shooting on X at 5:40pm:
“Units are currently investigating a shooting at Valley Fair Mall in West San Jose. Two victims were located and have been transported to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.”
At 7pm. police reported on X that the shooting “appears to be an isolated incident and NOT an active shooter.”
“However, officers are evacuating and clearing the mall to confirm there is no ongoing threat to public safety,” the police post continued. “Please continue to avoid the area.”
Another post, at 8:40pm, by San Jose Police gave this updated report:
“In total, three victims were transported to local hospitals with injuries that have been determined to be non life threatening. Please continue to avoid the area. Traffic is severely impacted.”
Police had posted no additional updates as of 11:30pm.
An independent East San Jose website, East Side San Jose Times, posted on Facebook at 7:28pm that “there are people still inside the Valley Fair mall while the shooter is running around somewhere,” and interviewed a man who said he broke a large glass window at a bowling alley at the mall, allowing people to escape.
The website claimed, with no evidence, that the shooting was not an isolated incident, while a commenter who claimed to be a witness disputed this account.
Mahan released this statement Friday evening following the incident: "San Jose — this is not the news I wanted to share with you this holiday weekend. My prayers are with these victims and I know our officers are doing everything they can to find the person responsible and hold them accountable. Currently, there is no ongoing threat to the community but please avoid the area. We’ll keep you posted as we have more info."
Westfield Valley Fair is the largest mall, by area, in Northern California and has higher sales revenue than all other malls in California.
The fourteenth largest shopping mall in the United States is officially located on Stevens Creek Boulevard in the City of Santa Clara although all of its eastern half and some of its western half is physically located in the City of San Jose. The mall has 214 stores and 58 restaurants.
