A disturbance unfolded at the Fox Valley Mall in Aurora this past Saturday when a gunshot-like sound startled shoppers, only to be later identified as an accidental discharge from an imitation firearm, details NBC Chicago. At approximately 4:39 p.m., Aurora Police were summoned to the scene following reports of a shot fired inside the mall, where they quickly ascertained that the noise emanated from a fake gun after it, having slipped from a suspect's clothing, hit the ground.
The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, attempted to evade authorities but was speedily detained, and though the incident caused a scare, there were no physical injuries reported to police or mall patrons, this according to statements released by the Aurora Police Department on their Facebook page.
Simultaneous reports from FOX 32 Chicago confirm that the said imitation firearm was recovered at the site by law enforcement, and although no injuries emerged from the unintended discharge, the event inevitably raises questions regarding safety protocols and the ubiquity of replica weapons in public spaces.
Investigations are ongoing, and updates will be provided as authorities explore the reasons for bringing a fake firearm into a crowded public space.
