3 killed in Washington mall shooting

At least three persons were killed in a shooting at a mall in Washington on Friday night, police said.

Authorities initially said four persons had died in the shooting, but later revised the number to say that three women had been killed and one man was critically injured. One other woman suffered non-life threatening injuries, NBC News reported.

Police were still searching for the shooter who opened fire at a Macy's store at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, Sgt. Mark Francis of Washington State Police said.

Francis said it was not immediately known if there was more than one gunman involved, but authorities were searching for a man wearing grey and was last seen walking toward Interstate 5 highway -- the main interstate highway on the West Coast of the US -- from the mall.

Authorities released a photo of a man believed to be the gunman, CNN reported.

"Here is the shooter. We believe just one shooter. ... Armed with rifle," Francis tweeted.

Reports about the shooting started coming in around 7 p.m., Washington State Trooper spokeswoman Heather Axtman said.

"We have very little information right now," Axtman said, adding "We're still trying to gather as many witnesses as we can to get more information."

Witnesses described chaotic scenes and confusion when the shooting started.

Brandi Montreuil said she was at the movies when attendants told them to leave.

"I didn't know anything," she said, adding "The theatre attendant came in and apologised for stopping the movie and said they (theatre staff) were asked to have everyone leave immediately."

She said at first she thought it was a drill, CNN added.

--IANS

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