Shots fired inside Independence Center, no injuries reported

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) - The police are investigating after shots were fired inside Independence Center on Labor Day. Luckily, no one was injured.

KCTV5 News was told that “several” shots were fired inside Independence Center shortly after 3 p.m. Shell casings were found inside the mall located on E. 39th Street, just east of 291 Highway.

Police went through the mall, looking for suspects and making sure no one was hiding inside a business. They said they thought the suspects were a man and woman. Police did not locate any suspects, however.

Independence Center was open today, Sept. 5, which is Labor Day. Their holiday hours were 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Following the incident, it appeared that the mall planned to remain open and there were no plans to close early.

In a Facebook post, the police said they were working with mall management to clear the building. Some shoppers did decide to leave and the police were assisting them.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies were assisting IPD in the investigation.

UPDATE: At 4:40 p.m., the police said the scene at the mall had been cleared. The fact that there were no injuries remained the same.

The investigation will continue as detectives follow leads, according to IPD.

Independence Center has been in KCTV5 headlines in the past. On Jan. 10, 2021, we published a timeline of events. We have amended it with information from later reports and shared it below:

Aug. 7, 2021: Two people were arrested following a disturbance at Independence Center where firearms were brandished. No injuries were reported.
Feb. 23, 2021: 23-year-old man armed with bat who was screaming at people is taken into custody following his second incident at the mall in two months.
Jan. 11, 2021: Same 23-year-old man is arrested in connection with his first incident at the mall. He got into an altercation with two other men, cocked a toy gun, and pointed it in the air and at a crowd. No shots were fired; there were no real guns.
Jan. 5, 2021: Independence Center implements yet another new curfew. This one permits unsupervised minors from entering the mall without a parent after 3 p.m. seven days a week.
Jan. 4, 2021: There was another shooting at the Independence Center, this one happened between two vehicles and occupants shooting at each other.
Dec. 31, 2020: One person is shot at the Independence Center. The victim survived.
Dec. 28, 2020: Independence police bans teens without parents Friday through Sunday after 3 p.m.
Dec. 26, 2020: The mall closes due to a fight that had over 500 teenagers in it.
Nov. 22, 2020: A new curfew was announced and approved by the city. It aims at teenagers.
Oct. 30, 2020: Independence police warn of more disturbances involving teenagers.
Oct. 24, 2020: Over 300 teenagers involved in disturbances and fights.

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