Shoplifter brandished gun at King of Prussia Macy’s, causing panic, police say
No shots were fired, and no customers were endangered, police said.
A suspected shoplifter inside the Macy’s store at the King of Prussia Mall flashed a gun Friday evening, causing some shoppers to panic, Upper Merion Township police said Saturday.
Police said they initially received a report that shots had been fired.
When they arrived they discovered that while no shots had been fired, a store loss prevention officer had been assaulted while attempting to stop two suspected shoplifters, one of whom evidently displayed the gun, said Upper Merion Police Chief Thomas Nolan.
“No shot was fired, but it caused a panic where some mall patrons ran and reported an active shooter,” Nolan said. “We are still actively investigating this incident. The loss prevention officer suffered minor injuries.”
The two suspects fled, and Upper Merion police ask anyone with information to call 610-265-3232.
The incident came two weeks after police were called to investigate a report of shots being fired in a parking area at the mall across from Macy’s. One person suffered a minor injury.
Police said that by the time they arrived the gunfire had ceased and the participants had left the scene. Police described it as a “targeted” matter, that the participants all knew each other, and that mall patrons were not endangered.