WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Authorities evacuated Valley Fair Mall Tuesday evening after the sound of a falling sign was mistaken as a gunshot.
The incident happened at approximately 7:30 p.m., authorities said.
There was performance by a young rap artists happening at the mall, and a large crowd had gathered for the event. When the sign fell over, it created a loud bang, which people interpreted as a gunshot.
An official said someone in the crowd then yelled, “Shots!”
“That incited a panic within the crowd,” said public information officer Roxanne Vainuku. “They started running. People were running into stores and hiding.”
“As you can imagine, there’s a heightened sense of fear right now with things that have gone on around our country,” she added.
No shots were actually fired, and the entire ordeal was a misunderstanding. Following a string of mass shootings in Ohio, Texas and California, many people are experiencing fear in public places.
Police responded quickly. They cleared the mall of all patrons and closed it for the remainder of the night.
The movie theaters were re-opened later that evening.
Arrests were made for fights that took place during the evacuation, police said.
There were no injuries reported.
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