Mall Shooting Sends Shoppers Fleeing Just Three Days Before Christmas

Gunfire rang out in an upscale Long Island mall Tuesday afternoon just as Christmas shopping neared fevered pitch.

Police say an armed man tried to rob the Rolex section of the Tourneau watch store in Garden City's Roosevelt Field Mall when he fired on a 67-year-old mall employee.

The victim was hospitalized in serious but stable condition.

Chaos soon struck as holiday shoppers fled the mall in droves just three days before Christmas.

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However, WABC reports that the mall never closed and was never put on lockdown, according to a source.

The Garden City school district tweeted that nearby schools were placed in a "lockout," before returning to normal after 2 p.m.

Shoppers took to social media to express their concerns.

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"Was just in the Roosevelt field mall and someone just started shooting never ran this fast ever in my life," tweeted @Sammanttttha.

"ATTN: do not go to Roosevelt field today, the mall was just evacuated and police are swarming in," wrote @kel__flynn.

“Was in the Roosevelt Field Mall when an armed robbery happened a floor below. Mom and i are ok after hiding in the back of the store. Crazy,” wrote ‏@mellentuck.

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