Police tape marks a crime scene in this file photo.JOHN LEHMANN
Boxing Day shoppers scrambled for safety as a shooter fired a single round in the outdoor area of an outlet mall in the national capital, sending one man to hospital with minor injuries in what police are treating as a possible targeted attack.
The shooting occurred on an pedestrian walkway at the Tanger Outlets mall in the city's west end around 3:45 p.m. on Friday, Ottawa police Staff Sergeant Rick Keindel said.
He said the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was in stable condition.
The shooting took place outside an Adidas shoe store, said an employee who gave his name only as Mike.
He said he was in the back when the shot rang out, and emerged to see people running for cover.
"I saw other customers or pedestrians fleeing from the area, but I think there was more confusion than anything," he said.
He said the store was immediately placed in lockdown. Management of Tanger Outlets later decided to close the mall.
The guns and gangs unit is investigating. Two suspects have been arrested, but police were still looking for two suspects, according to a police update just after 6 p.m. "It's not an active shooter situation. It seems like an isolated thing," Staff Sgt. Keindel said. "Just one shot was fired. One person was injured."
Duty Inspector Mark Patterson told local reporters at the mall that it's believed the shooting was a targeted attack. He said the victim was known to police and was not co-operating with investigators.
Staff Sgt. Keindel said no weapon has been recovered at the scene. He said witnesses are being interviewed and investigators will be looking into any available surveillance footage of the shooting.
With a report from Renata D'Aliesio, Globe and Mail