Officials say a man pulled his legally-owned gun after two people started a fight with him and it fired into the ceiling as he was tackled.



FAIRLAWN, Ohio — Police have confirmed a gunshot was fired during a fight inside Summit Mall Sunday afternoon.

According to a press release, a man and woman inside the food court reported being assaulted by two other males around 2:35 p.m. The man said the suspects started the fight, leading him to pull his legally-owned gun.

During the scuffle, one of the suspects tackled the man with the firearm, causing a bullet to fire into the ceiling. The suspects then fled, and eyewitnesses told 3News the scene became chaotic.

"First we heard one and then we thought we heard another one, but we weren't certain about it," Kyara Woodall said, adding officers entered with their own weapons drawn. "That's when people started running and the employees [were] trying to get everybody to evacuate."

The mall was locked down, evacuated, and eventually closed for the day as officers established a perimeter. Authorities say the man did indeed have a concealed carry permit and that he and is female companion are cooperating with the investigation. His gun was seized as evidence, per protocol.

"We would like to thank all of our neighboring police agencies and witnesses for their assistance in this matter," the Fairlawn Police Department said in a statement. "Public safety is the number one priority in our city and as a precautionary measure we will step up patrols at Summit Mall."

No injuries were reported and no arrests have been made at this time. Officials have not ruled out charges.