Shots fired at Brandon Exchange, suspects on the run

Start, we're here at 10 o'clock with a Fox News alert, a huge law enforcement presence at the Brandon Exchange, what many of us know as the Brandon Mall. After shots were fired tonight, there is a search for those involved, and we do have crews live at the scene right now. Our Blake Devine's been talking to witnesses all night who described the frightening and chaotic event. And Brianna Ardondo starts us off with what happened. So Brianna, let's start with you. What did you learn? Yeah, so Mark, since we've been out here this evening, I can tell you that investigators say this started between two groups who got into a fight inside of this mall here behind me. As for what's going on right now, the area remains taped off as deputies continue to wrap up their investigation here at the scene. But here's what we learned earlier today. Of course, it was busy. But then Hillsborough County deputies and also Hillsborough Fire Rescue units got a call on 911 call about a shooting around 5:16 this evening. And then the first deputies arrived about Two minutes later, the sheriff's office says that two groups of people got into a fight. Then surveillance video shows them leaving as those deputies were arriving. Now, the gunfire shattered the Verizon store window inside of this mall, and one worker was cut as a result, but no one was shot. We spoke with a witness who was out here just picking up some jackets that he ordered when he saw a bunch of people running. I heard people saying there were shots. And so I walked through Macy's, came around here, and then I just saw all these cop cars swarming like it was Christmas. And they pulled up at Books-A-Million, that's where they started pulling up. There's a couple came here, and then I saw the police officers actually go inside Books-A-Million. Now, this is not the first time that the Brandon Mall has seen gun violence. Back in July, a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed in Dick's House of Sport. And back in 2022, there was a string of shootings here on the mall property in January, June, and October, one dealing with an undercover operation. And in 2023, deputies were called out here, actually, for an accidental discharge of a woman's gun inside of the mall. Now, this incident, though, investigators say it is isolated, and they are continuing to search for those who are responsible. Now, we also have Blake Devine who's covering this for us tonight. Blake, you spoke with people who work here at the mall, so what did they have to say? Brianna, they described pure panic with people running, screaming and scrambling for safety. All of this happening here around 515 this evening. Now here's what it looked like when we first arrived on scene. A very long line of Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies along with fire rescue crews surrounding the mall. Crime scene tape blocking off several entrances throughout the mall. The sound of gunshots sending shoppers and employees scrambling as people took cover in restaurants. That's where employees quickly locked the doors. Everyone just started running. Straight through the restaurant, people trying to come into the back, people trying to get through the back door just so they could get safe. It was a lot. Exiting the mall was pretty crazy. Just the police cars everywhere, looking up in the sky, seeing like search drones and everything. Like a crazy looking scene, honestly. This is ridiculous. Keep in mind nearly 300 Hillsborough County public schools were off today in observance of Veterans Day. So this mall may have been crowded with both kids and teenagers. And right now there is still a police presence here at the mall as deputies continue to piece together exactly what happened here earlier tonight. You spoke with quite a few employees there. We're dealing with another shooting here in less than two weeks. What were their thoughts on just the state of this gun violence that we're seeing in our area? All, several are quite frustrated with this gun violence involving teenagers. I spoke with one woman who's an employee over at the Cheesecake Factory. She was here this summer when that separate shooting took place that claimed the life of that 15 year old boy over at the Dick's Sporting Goods. She says that this is becoming very frustrating, scary and a familiar place to be taking cover at her workplace yet again tonight. Okay, Blake Devine and Brianna Arredondo both live for us there at the Brandon Mall with the latest on the shots fired at the mall there. We're going to continue to follow this for you and bring you the very latest. Blake, thank you.