3 people injured after argument leads to gunfire inside Aventura Mall

AVENTURA, Fla. – Three people were injured in a shooting Saturday at Aventura Mall, with the gunfire stemming from an argument between two groups of people near the Hugo Boss store, police said.

The three were rushed to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Aventura police, who added that they were from the groups that were arguing.

Two other people were hurt while trying to exit the mall after the shots were fired, authorities said. They were also taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The gunman is not in custody, police said Saturday evening, as they stressed that it is not an active shooter situation.

Police said it’s possible the shooter left the mall on foot, and they gave a general description of a Black man in a black Adidas tracksuit with black shoes.

The gunfire broke out before 4 p.m. Saturday.

An argument turned physical and someone from one of the groups brandished a weapon, which led to someone from the other group pulling out a gun and opening fire, police said.

Mall customers and employees were hiding in stores, closets and storage rooms while Aventura police officers searched for the shooter.

“I mean it was just scary, especially pre-Mother’s Day,” shopper Craig Washington said.

Video showed one injured victim appearing to be still bleeding on the lower level of the mall near the Louis Vuitton store.

For nearly five hours, law enforcement from multiple agencies moved everyone out of the mall and canvassed the building searching for the shooter.

Several people were detained, but no arrests were announced by police.

Authorities confirmed late Saturday that the mall would not fully re-open until Sunday at noon.

A video posted on Twitter showed people running out of the mall into the parking garage.

Last May, a shooting inside the Nordstrom store at the Aventura Mall wounded 2 people. In that incident, an argument broke out between four people who knew each other and one person was taken into custody.

Police are asking anyone with information about Saturday’s shooting to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.