Update:
The Valdosta Police Department has released more details regarding Saturday's incident at the Valdosta Mall. They say before 6:30 p.m. on August 2nd, an off-duty officer was working at the mall when they were notified by mall security that there was a possible fight in the parking lot, and that one of the people involved appeared to have a gun.
VPD says that as the officer approached the group of males in the parking lot, they started to run, and while running, the officer saw a 15-year-old male throw a gun under a vehicle. Police say the officer was able to take the juvenile into custody and recovered the gun, which was reported stolen.
The report goes on to say that other VPD officers arrived at the mall and were directed to the others who were involved in the fight, who had run from the original officer on the scene.
VPD says a 16-year-old male and 17-year-old Zykeaus Foster were taken into custody. The report goes on to say that while officers were inside the mall looking for others involved in the fight, 911 calls started coming in, saying there was an active shooter in the mall. VPD says officers treated the incident as an active shooter call and began searching the mall for any threat.
VPD says officers never heard any gunshots or located any evidence that a shooting took place inside the mall. After the mall was cleared, management decided to close the mall for the night.
VPD says the 15-year-old juvenile was charged with theft by receiving stolen property-firearm, possession of a firearm by a minor, and obstruction of an officer. The 16-year-old was charged with obstruction of an officer, and Foster was charged with obstruction of an officer.
The 15-year-old was taken to the Regional Youth Detention Center, and the 16-year-old was released to his parents. Foster was taken to the Lowndes County Jail.
The report says the case is still active and that more charges could be forthcoming.
VPD says if anyone has any further information on this case, to call the Valdosta Police Department Bureau of Investigative Services at 229-293-3145 or the crime tip line at 229-293-3091.
Original:
The Valdosta Police Department has released information regarding an incident at the mall on Saturday, August 2nd. They say social media posts were circulating online about a possible active shooter. VPD says that's not true and that there is no evidence of an active shooter.
The release states, off-duty VPD officers working at the mall responded to a possible fight near the food court and detained those involved.
VPD says there are no injuries and there is no active threat at the Valdosta Mall.
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