Crime & Courts

Fight leads to Black Friday lockdown at Charlotte area mall, police say

Stores were placed on lock down after a fight erupted between two groups of people during Black Friday shopping at Carolina Place Mall in Pineville, police said.
Stores were placed on lock down after a fight erupted between two groups of people during Black Friday shopping at Carolina Place Mall in Pineville, police said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Stores were placed on lockdown after a fight erupted between two groups of people during Black Friday shopping at Carolina Place Mall in Pineville, police said.

Pineville officers working off-duty at the mall arrived at the fight “within seconds,” and the groups immediately dispersed, police said in a news release.

“NO ACTIVE SHOOTER and NO SHOOTING this afternoon at Carolina Place Mall,” police said in a news release.

“There was one report that someone in the group flashed a handgun, but that is unconfirmed at this time,” according to the release.

The fight erupted at about 4:40 p.m., police said. Police did not say if they know what prompted the fight.

A few of the stores near the melee were placed on temporary lockdown, police said. “However, that lockdown was lifted after the entire mall was swept and deemed safe by Pineville Police and Mall Security,” according to the police news release.

Police announced no arrests but said their investigation was ongoing and that the mall “is open for businesses as usual.”

Police also reported no injuries.

Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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