The shooting allegedly started because of a dispute between two groups.
One person is dead and another injured after a shooting Wednesday at a shopping center in the suburbs of St. Louis, police said.
The person who died was identified only as a man in his 20s, police said. The age of the person, also a man, who was injured was not immediately clear.
A suspect is still on the loose.
A St. Louis County police spokesman said at a press conference that although the event was initially believed to be an active shooter situation, further investigation showed that was not the case.
Police said two groups had been involved “in a dispute” at the St. Louis Galleria shopping center, located in the city of Richmond Heights, before they shot at around 12:30 pm local time.
No other details on the dispute were provided and police are working to determine if there was a relationship between the groups.
Authorities are looking for someone they described as a person of interest.
The spokesman said it was “of utmost importance” that this person be identified and detained.
“We need to identify that individual as soon as possible,” he said.
Police are also looking for three or four other people who were in the group with the person of interest. Police believe they fled on foot.
St. Louis County Police remained on site along with many other jurisdictions.
The public is urged to avoid the area and the mall is expected to be closed for the day. Police noted that there is no known threat to others.
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