Witnesses reportedly told cops that the shooter took off in an Uber, which police tracked down and stopped.
A technologically savvy Texas man opened fire outside a shopping mall, striking one person, before making his getaway in an Uber car, officials said.
Darryl Eugene Patterson, 19, and the alleged victim got into a fight in The Parks Mall at about 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, pushing and shoving each other near the shopping center's food court, Arlington police Lt. Christopher Cook told InsideEdition.com.
When the victim and his wife tried to leave the mall using a pedestrian bridge leading to a parking lot, Patterson allegedly shot the unidentified man in the leg, Cook said.
Off-duty officers working with mall security were responding to a report of a person with a gun near the food court when they received another report of shots fired, officials said.
The alleged victim was found shot at least twice in the leg and was rushed to a local hospital to be treated for his non-life-threatening wounds, authorities said.
Read: Cops: Suspected Drug Dealer Flees Police, Manages to Get a Haircut Before Arrest
Witnesses told cops that the suspect allegedly tried ditching the .38 revolver used in the shooting by tossing it on top of a nearby business, but after multiple failed attempts, he ran off when the business' manager confronted him, Cook said.
Witnesses also reported that the suspect and two other people jumped into a silver Toyota Corolla — an Uber car — which police tracked down and stopped.
Cook commended the community for their help in catching the suspect.
"We had a lot of people being nosey, which is good," he said with a laugh, calling their assistance a "very key" part of the arrest.
The surprised Uber driver had no idea what he had become a part of, Cook said.
Read: 5-Year-Old Boy Is Fatally Struck By Car As Driver Flees Police
Cook said this escape attempt was a first for him.
"We know as responding officers, we're not thinking of Ubers or taxis or public transportation, but we know people will go through great lengths to conceal their identity or avoid capture," he said.
The two other people with Patterson were initially detained, but released pending further investigation, he said.
Patterson was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The second count was brought because Patterson allegedly pointed the gun at the victim's wife's face before he fired at the man, Cook said.
He remains jailed on a $50,000 bail.
Watch: College Student Missing For Days After Telling Her Mom She Was Taking An Uber
