![Juniors Tad Lambert and Lily Reiff watch swim footage Jan. 19 in Room 153. Lambert and Reiff were editing their swim recap for Cougar Roundup. “[KUGR] is such a great environment for creativity but also to form amazing friends,” Lambert said. “KUGR has become like a home for me and I feel like I’ve gotten super close with so many other members.”](https://smnw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ejohnson_KUGR_7-900x600.jpg)
On Nov 12 at 4:17 p.m., a shot rang out near the food court at Oak Park Mall. Two potential shoplifters were being confronted by the police, one of which reached for an officer’s gun and fired a shot inside the mall, according to senior A’Miya Ewing, who was heading on break near the time of the incident.
The other suspect fled the scene, speeding toward 95th street before being caught and arrested by police.
“I was trying to hold in my tears,” junior Stephanie Benitez said. “But I was scared. I didn’t know what was going on, I was in shock. I could barely type on my friend’s phone to text my parents.”
Ten police cars were parked in front of the food court surrounded by news cameras.
Before being lead by officers through the exit, Benitez, coworkers and customers were locked in the backroom for 30-40 minutes.
Both suspects are in custody. Authorities confirmed that nobody was harmed. Oak Park mall reopened Nov, 13 at 11:00 a.m. to carry on normal business hours.
KCTV5 states that this is the third at a Kansas City mall area in less than three days.
