Police personnel from Milpitas, San Jose, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) poured into The Great Mall parking lot on Friday evening following reports of what authorities termed “an active situation.” A report had come from inside Burlington Coat Factory about a shooting that had occurred on the premises, which led to many mall shoppers and staffers sheltering in place.
Parts of the mall perimeter were surrounded by police vehicles, with some personnel brandishing heavy artillery outside. Most of the activity was centered on Burlington Coat Factory.
Later on Twitter, the Milpitas Police Department (MPD) posted that they had been called there over a confrontation wherein someone was wielding a knife. This happened at 5:30pm. Read the tweet, “Shortly after [5:30] a shooting was reported inside of Burlington Coat Factory. Officers have checked the business and there is no indication a shooting occurred inside.”
1/3 At about 5:30pm #MilpitasPD received a report of an altercation where someone brandished a knife. Shortly after a shooting was reported inside of Burlington Coat Factory. Officers have checked the business and there is no indication a shooting occurred inside. #GreatMall
— Milpitas Police (@MilpitasPD) November 6, 2021
As a result of the conflicting reports, police were conducting a search of the entire mall. One commenter on a Milpitas Beat Facebook post said, “We are here traped [sic] in a storage room.” However, police who swept the mall were reported to be escorting those who were sheltering in place outside.
