Shooting Scare at Valley Plaza Mall in Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif., Dec. 15 (KNN) — Around 4:17 p.m. Sunday, reports of a large fight and gunshots inside the Valley Plaza Mall prompted a heavy response from Bakersfield police.

Officers quickly gathered information, searched for any active shooter, and cleared the premises. Shoppers rushed to escape, with one woman telling KNN she ran out of the food court so quickly that she left her purse behind, which was then stolen. Abandoned food and belongings were scattered throughout the mall as people fled in panic.

A Santa hired for Christmas photos outside the JC Penney reported injuring his tailbone during the incident. However, due to policy, he was not available for on-camera interviews.

So far, no gunshot victims or shell casings have been found inside the mall. It appears the incident was triggered by the altercation rather than an active shooting. Most stores in the mall were closed for the remainder of the night.

Josiah Valenzuela, Video Journalist / KNN