Black Friday Chaos: A Shooting at Valley Fair Mall

A peaceful Black Friday shopping trip turned chaotic at the Westfield Valley Fair mall in Santa Clara. Three people were hurt, but thankfully, their injuries weren't life-threatening. The police believe this wasn't a random attack on shoppers. Instead, it seems like a dispute between two individuals escalated into a shooting. The two female victims were just bystanders, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The suspected shooter left before the police arrived, and no gun was found. Shawn Kulasingham, who was shopping with his family, heard a loud noise around 5:35 p. m. and saw people running in all directions. He described it as a stampede, with the building almost shaking. He and his family hid in an Abercrombie & Fitch store for about 20 minutes before police escorted them out. Kulasingham forgot his coat in the store, but he was just glad everyone was safe. Meanwhile, at least 20 customers were guided into storage closets in Bloomingdales by store security. Bilal Zuberi and his wife were among them. Zuberi didn't hear any shots, but there was a lot of panic. An overhead announcement told them to stay put. They tried to stay calm and not talk about the shooting, especially since there were children with them. Police gave the all-clear around 7 p. m. , but leaving the mall was a mess with traffic backed up at all exits. Emergency calls to the police and fire departments at 5:55 p. m. reported two to three injured people and the shooter still on the loose. Multiple calls starting around 5:35 p. m. mentioned people sheltering in place and reported bullet casings and a trail of blood from Macy’s. Later, the city department announced there was no longer an active shooter. Police arrived to a chaotic scene with multiple people running across the street, causing traffic jams. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan expressed his prayers for the victims and praised the officers for their efforts. The shooting happened on the second floor of Macy’s, and photos showed shattered windows at the adjacent Bowlero bowling alley. Police believe this was an isolated incident and advised people to avoid the area.