AUSTIN, Texas — New details have emerged from a December shooting at the Barton Creek Square Mall.
An arrest affidavit for the alleged shooter says the fight broke out over $6,000 of stolen shoes. One person was shot during that fight. The incident led to an active shooter scare with shoppers at the mall.
The victim went to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two other people were evaluated for minor injuries related to evacuating and refused EMS transport.
During his interview with police, the man who was shot said someone burglarized his friend's house a few days before. Then, multiple people contacted the friend saying his stolen shoes were being listed on Facebook Marketplace.
The affidavit said the victim's friend then contacted the seller and was preparing to fight the seller to get his shoes back.
The seller was identified as 19-year-old Vincent Gutierrez. He was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Witnesses on the scene when the shooting happened told KVUE they heard three gunshots, which caused shoppers to run, leaving personal items behind. They said people were escorted out after the incident and no one was allowed back inside.
Bella Schulz said she and her boyfriend were at the mall with their son to get Christmas photos taken when they heard the gunfire.
"It was just scary seeing everybody just running to the store, and I'm sitting there like I'm about to take my other car seat and then I see my boyfriend run up to me you know, like, 'They're shooting, they're shooting," said Schulz. "My heart was beating so fast because I didn't know if it was an isolated incident or a mass shooting. I was expecting the worst," said Bella Schulz.
M.J. Andres, who works at the mall, said he was on his break when he saw people scrambling out of the building.
"Everybody ran out. The whole mall cleared out right here at Cheesecake [Factory]. I mean, it's three gunshots, people are going to hear it and just run," said Andres.