Chaos erupted at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City on Sunday afternoon when throngs of shoppers mistook the sound of hammers smashing glass for gunfire, leading to widespread panic and a swift police response. According to DC News Now, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is actively investigating the robbery in which suspects entered a business, shattered a display case with hammers, and deployed a fire extinguisher before fleeing the scene.
Initial reports, which came in shortly after 3:30 p.m., suggested that shots had been heard, but officers soon determined that the alarming sounds were the result of the robbery in progress, as suspects wearing all black and described as three juvenile boys created a smokescreen with the fire extinguisher to facilitate their escape, and no injuries were reported as mall goers self-evacuated during the ensuing lockdown though it remained open. In a statement obtained by NBC Washington, one shaken shopper, Amelia Evans, recounted how her "heart stopped," and she was "shaking" as people rushed towards her in search of a hideaway.
Despite the terror, no shots were fired, and the fleeing suspects were caught on a shopper's cellphone video grappling to pick up watches amid the haze left by the fire extinguisher. Police have confirmed that no one was injured during the incident, but the trauma was palpable; one shopper, Chase Gillespie, described to NBC Washington the closing of gates and people crying as stores inside the mall locked down, expressing that it was "ridiculous" this happened on Labor Day.
The ACPD is urging the public to assist by sharing information on the trio of suspects - whom witnesses say jumped into a small black SUV in their getaway. "Our car, luckily, was right there so we jump in and back up and then I’m like stop, because there’s people running behind the car," then "Then I noticed they were all in black with masks and hoodies. It was three guys, and they had backpacks, and they jumped into a small black SUV,” Maria Hernandez told WUSA9. Police ask anyone with tips to contact their line at 703-228-4180 or via email at [email protected].
