Southpoint Mall fight in Durham, North Carolina, leaves 'four injured in food court brawl'

May 04, 2024

A FIGHT that took place at The Streets at Southpoint Mall in Durham, North Carolina, left "four people injured in a food court brawl."

The Sunday incident was first revealed to be a possible shooting when North Carolina's Durham Police took to Twitter at 4.04pm ET to announce that a report of shots fired was being investigated.

The tweet continued: "A preliminary investigation revealed that no shots were fired.

"There are a few minor injuries being reported. Everyone is asked to avoid the area as police continue to investigate."

WNCN reporter Sean Cudahy followed up with an update approximately two hours later.

Cudahy reported that the Southpoint incident resulted in four total injuries, but none of those were from gunfire.

Two people were hurt in a "large fight that broke out" and the other two were injured 'slightly' as mallgoers made their way out of the building," Cudahy explained in a 6.18pm tweet.

Police confirmed there were no shots fired, but the sound people suspected to be gunfire was probably a broomstick hitting a table during a food court fight, WRAL reported.

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Additionally, police said two of the four injured people were transported to the hospital.

Jamie Foster, who works at Maggiano’s in the mall, told WNCN: "There was a lot of running, a lot of crying – you hear people taking cover and just everybody jumping in their car and leaving, there was so much going on.

"I just heard a lot of loud banging on the tables, people pushing over the tables and ducking, just yelling ‘shooting’ – it was traumatizing."

Before the police investigation concluded, WRAL's Aaron Thomas shared photos from outside the mall, noting a "heavy police presence outside Streets at Southpoint Mall."

He said police were on the scene due to an "incident involving a firearm" and officers were "inside armed with weapons."

Footage shared to Twitter appeared to show people running after what sounds like gunshots are heard in the background.

The seconds-long video shows a woman near a garbage bin looking at the camera and saying "Go!" after two loud sounds were heard.

In response to the footage, one Twitter user commented: "Kinda sounds like hollow metal like the food court chairs banging."

Another wrote: "We were there. There were shots fired."

Reports of shots fired at the mall came in around 4pm ET, according to Twitter.

Chapel Hill resident Conor McLure said he heard a loud sound followed by people running.

"Heard a loud sound, almost sounded like thunder or someone moving heavy furniture. Didn't think it sounded like a shot. Thought nothing of it," he said. "Shortly after, saw tons of people running out of the main building."

Another Twitter user noted helicopters were flying over the area.

"Not sure exactly what is happening at SouthPoint mall but have never heard helicopters circling our apartment so much," wrote Darin Weed.

"Hopefully the reports of an active shooter on site are not true and hope everyone is safe!"

Despite Durham Police's preliminary investigation revealing no shots were fired, Twitter users appeared to say otherwise.

One user tweeted: "IF YOU’RE AT SOUTHPOINT MALL PLEASE BE CAREFUL, THERE IS AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IN THE MALL."

"Yes, I can confirm, there WAS shooting inside Southpoint Mall," said another.

Southpoint Mall fight in Durham, North Carolina, leaves 'four injured in food court brawl'

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