PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A shooting outside of a busy shopping mall Friday night in Happy Valley left some shoppers to shelter in place and others turned away at the door while police combed the area for evidence.
A suspect is in custody after shots were fired outside of the Clackamas Town Center near the JCPenney, and while it doesn’t appear anyone was hurt, plenty of shoppers say it left them shocked.
Ted Chapa came to the Clackamas Town Center with his son, planning for a fun evening out, but says that quickly changed.
“We were in the mall. We got here and saw the cops out front and inside they were searching through trash cans. I think they were looking through a gun because they said there were shots fired,” said Chapa. “They were just searching through the upstairs and downstairs and they said there was a shelter in place inside so we just grabbed a Cinnabon and got out of there.”
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office says it happened near the parking lot of the mall. In one of many scenes around the Town Center, sheriff’s deputies set up multiple evidence markers and crime tape outside of the entrance to JCPenney.
On the other side near the theater, police turned away people heading to the movies and mall, while others blocked off the parking garage. Chapa says stores inside were already starting to close down.
Police have taken a suspect into custody after a shooting at Clackamas Town Center outside JCPenney Friday evening. On the scene, sheriff’s deputies put up evidence markers near the store entrance. May 20, 2022 (KOIN). 
Police have taken a suspect into custody after a shooting at Clackamas Town Center outside JCPenney Friday evening. On the scene, sheriff’s deputies put up evidence markers near the store entrance. May 20, 2022 (KOIN). 
After a shooting outside JCPenney at Clackamas Town Center, on the other side near the theater, police turned away people heading to the movies and mall, while others blocked off the parking garage. May 20, 2022 (KOIN).
“There weren’t even really many stores open. Just the places in the food court, trying to get rid of the food and stuff,” said Chapa. “No actual shopping was going on though. They were trying to get all of the patrons out of there.”
The sheriff’s office says they did take someone into custody and had not heard of any victims. Shoppers like Chapa tell KOIN 6 it was not what they expected when visiting the mall, but hope everyone is okay.
“Thought it was going fun little evening but obviously turned short pretty quick,” said Chapa. “It’s actually our first time coming here in a year so it was pretty disheartening that all of this is going on and we can’t even shop.”
The Clackamas Co. Sheriff’s Office has not yet released the suspect’s identity or any more details about what happened.