Miami-Dade Police say they still are investigating
Sweetwater's police chief called an incident over the weekend at Dolphin Mall that sent customers into a panic amid reports of shots being fired a "hoax."
Chief Placido Diaz held a news conference with reporters to give an update on Saturday's incident.
"The call came in as shots fired, potentially people injured, and potentially an active shooter," Diaz said. "As we all know now, it was a hoax, thank God, nobody was injured, there was no active shooter."
Diaz said officers treated the incident at the mall as an "active fluid scene" but they still don't know what triggered the panic.
"There is nothing that would support anything other than a hoax at this point, there were no shots, no casings, no shooter, nobody injured, nothing found to indicate that there was any shooting whatsoever within the facility," Diaz said. "There was a mad running if you will, at some point, as a result of something but we haven't been able to establish any credible fact that there were any type of outstanding noises that triggered it."
An update released by Miami-Dade Police Monday said no victims or witnesses have come forward to speak to officials about what took place in the mall.
Local
Crews from the city of Sweetwater and later MDPD responded to the mall just after 9 p.m. after unconfirmed reports of shots being heard. Some shoppers and employees were trapped inside stores before the mall was evacuated and officers searched the entire mall.
Officers were unable to locate a scene or anyone involved and the mall reopened on Sunday.
"I'm very glad to say nobody was injured," Diaz said.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed anything to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
