At least three women died and a few were critically injured after a gunman opened fired in a crowded mall in the US state of Washington late on Friday, police said.
Police spokesman Sergeant Mark Francis said the incident took place at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, about 105km north of Seattle and the culprit is still absconding. He said the police were searching for a "Hispanic male wearing grey", who was last seen walking towards the Interstate 5 highway from the mall.
"We're actively searching for suspect, tracking leads," Francis told CNN.
Referring to the emergency medical services, Francis tweeted: "EMS starting to enter to attend to injured inside Mall w/ police escort and after initial clearance."
The officials evacuated the mall as a safety measure. Francis urged the residents to avoid the mall and to follow road closures.
According to the officials, the injured victims were taken to the hospital while the survivors would be transported by bus to a nearby church.
**This story is developing**
