A disturbance at Town East Mall in Mesquite last Saturday caused some stir when shoppers mistook the clatter of thrown chairs for gunshots. The incident, which unfolded in the food court around 7:30 p.m., led to several stores deciding to close their doors early. Mesquite police quickly clarified there was no gunfire. "There was a large fight and chairs were thrown during the altercation," said Lt. Michael B. Kelly, as per CBS News. Despite the fracas, the mall was deemed safe and remained open for the rest of the evening.
Misunderstandings seemed to quickly escalate when at least one chair from the upper-level food court was thrown to the lower level, which some patrons misinterpreted as gunshots. Officers arrived promptly to confidently assess the situation, according to The Dallas Morning News. After reviewing surveillance footage from the mall, police concluded that the sounds were indeed not from a shooting but from the chairs thrown during the dispute.
No injuries were reported from the chaos which concluded with police stating there was "no danger to the public," as cited by CBS News. The statement is being sought to quickly abate any lingering fears among shoppers and mall employees. This was not the first time public spaces have fallen prey to such alarm, as incidents nationwide have sometimes sparked fear of gun violence where there was none.
