Hillsborough County deputies are on scene at Brandon Exchange after reports of shots fired at the mall, and they are asking the public to steer clear while the investigation plays out. Officials have stressed that this is not an active-shooter situation, though they have not yet said what caused the reported gunfire or whether anyone was hurt.
Deputies Respond, Ask Public to Stay Clear
According to WFLA, Hillsborough County deputies reported being at the scene of a shots-fired call at Brandon Exchange in Brandon, Florida. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is investigating reports of shots fired at the mall, as reported by tampabay28.com. Deputies said they are on scene investigating the incident and emphasized that it is not an active-shooter situation.
The station's report notes that authorities have made avoiding the property a priority while they sort out what happened. “We ask the community to avoid the mall while our investigation continues,” deputies said, per the same account. Beyond that request, the sheriff's office has not released information about possible injuries or what led to the reported gunfire.
What Remains Unknown
As of now, there is no public detail on a suspect, a motive, or the extent of any injuries tied to the reported shots fired. The sheriff's office has not provided an update beyond confirming it is investigating and asking people to stay away from the mall in the meantime.
Mall Has Seen Violence Before
Brandon Exchange has drawn scrutiny over gun-related incidents in recent years, though neither is connected to the current investigation. In July 2026, a 16-year-old was charged with manslaughter after a shooting at Dick's House of Sport inside the mall left 15-year-old Jaden Law dead inside a fitting room, according to fox13news.com. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said at the time that an employee at the store called 911 to report a shooting, and deputies arrived within four minutes to find a deceased male inside a fitting room.
A separate, unrelated incident at the mall in August 2023 involved what the sheriff's office described as an accidental discharge. Detectives believed a woman's firearm went off inside her purse, striking the side of a countertop, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. That agency said there were no reported injuries in that case and no charges had been filed as of its update.
Those past cases are distinct events and do not shed light on what caused this latest report of gunfire. For now, deputies are keeping the focus on the active investigation and their request that shoppers and employees avoid the mall until more is known.
