By IANS
Chicago : A gunman shot dead five women in a suspected robbery at a store in a suburban Chicago strip mall Saturday and fled, police said.
Police said they were looking for the suspect who went on shooting spree around 11 a.m. in the Lane Bryant apparel store for plus size women in Tinley Park.
The authorities have not identified the victims – which may include one or more employees besides shoppers– while their families are being contacted.
Investigators are not clear of the shooter’s motive, but believe it could be a case of botched robbery attempt.
Immediately after arriving on the scene, police searched for the gunman in nearby stores, leaving customers terrified.
“I was so scared I couldn’t think,” said Selena Kujawa, who had just entered Target supermarket with her five-year-old son when it was locked down.
The Chicago police department has warned its officers to pay attention to strip malls – shopping centre where the shops are arranged in a row – and other Lane Bryant stores. They were also downloading footage from CCTV cameras mounted at nearby stores.
Police allowed some shoppers into parts of the Tinley Park mall later Saturday, but cordoned off Lane Bryant store.
In another shopping mall shootout incident two months ago, a gunman shot dead nine people and wounded five in a mall in Omaha, Nebraska, before taking his own life.