Police have arrested a 20 year old in connection with the five deaths at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, Washington on Friday night. Police say there is no connection between the shooter and the victims. Surveillance photos show that the 20 year old man entered the mall, apparently without the rifle that police categorize as a hunting rifle. That happened ten minutes after he walked in the door, which leads police to believe the attack was planned and the gun was somewhere in the building.
Joe Zavala of Blaine was sitting outside the Macy’s drinking a cup of coffee when he heard about eight or nine shots fired.
“Then I saw a man pointing a gun and shooting people,” Zavala said. “And then I got up to look a little closer and he saw me, pointed the gun, and I took off running.”
After the shots stopped, Zavala went back into the Macy’s to search for his wife. Zavala saw people laying on the floor, including two elderly women. Another woman was helping an injured person behind the cosmetics counter. A rifle was sitting on the counter.
“It all happened so fast,” said Zavala, who found his wife inside a fitting room. “At first I didn’t believe it. I didn’t believe what I was hearing. I felt helpless, because I couldn’t do anything.”
Police have not released any further details of either the crime or the arrest except to say he was picked up without incident in Oak Harbor.]
