AUSTIN, Texas — Austin police have arrested a man in connection with last weekend's shooting at Barton Creek Square Mall.
On Thursday, APD detectives arrested 19-year-old Vincent Gutierrez in connection with the shooting.
On Saturday, Dec. 16, police responded to Barton Creek Square Mall after reports of a shooting.
According to APD, four men met at the mall to sell merchandise being advertised on social media. After meeting up, a fight broke out and one of the men was shot. 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.
Gutierrez is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is currently in the Travis County Jail.
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.