Shoppers panicked as shots rang through Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, prompting a lockdown and then an evacuation.
"The moment the shots were fired, people panicked, ran and kids were crying as a wall of screaming people made their way for the exits from every direction," witness Lily Jang told HuffPost Canada.
The mall was "semi busy" when she heard two shots "right by me," said Jang in a Facebook message.
Jang, who was shopping with her brother, niece and nephew, was right near an exit and able to leave quickly.
'Thankfully, no one was hit in this'
Police said there was an "altercation" between two groups of men, with at least three people on each side, before the gun was fired.
No injuries were reported, said Toronto police, who are looking for two male suspects in their 20s who fled on foot. The first suspect is described as black and was wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans, while the other is of mixed race and "skinny."
UPDATE - Sept. 4, 2018: Toronto police arrested and charged Zion Sankar-Beharry, 20, as one of the suspects in the shooting. Sankar-Beharry faces eight charges including two counts of attempted murder.
The weapon involved was a black handgun, police said.
"Thankfully, no one was hit in this," Supt. Rob Johnson told reporters at a press conference.
Social media posts showed mall workers and shoppers under lockdown, and alarms ringing through the facility.
Toronto's mayor said he was relieved no one was injured in the mall shooting.
"Whether it is Yorkdale Mall or anywhere else in Toronto, people should not have to worry about gun violence breaking out," John Tory said in a statement. "There are too many guns available to criminals in the city and I am determined to end that with the help of our police and our government partners."
The mall was closed for the remainder of Thursday for the police investigation, but the centre tweeted that it was "secure." Anyone who was evacuated from the mall and left personal belongings was asked to contact security at Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
With files from Alisha Sawhney and The Canadian Press