Police release 911 calls from Phoenix-area mall shooting
Audio recording capture moments of panic and terror - 12 News' Rachel Cole reports
PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY/12 News Phoenix) - "There's shots ma'am...they're shooting...they are shots? Yes."
Noticeable gunfire punctuates desperate calls to Glendale Police.
"We're at Westgate and we just saw a guy run toward the theater or whatever with an A-R"
"There's a guy shooting up everything with an AR-15, we have two people down on the east side of Westgate. Two people down, critically injured."
Shoppers and people eating out at restaurants alerted dispatchers to the active shooter in the entertainment district last week.
"Oh my God, someone's shooting at Westgate, hurry up please."
"They're still shooting, hurry up please, they're in the east parking lot at Westgate."
Absolute chaos as police say 20-year-old Armando Hernandez Jr. opened fire with an assault rifle.
"I just saw everyone start running but the blasts are loud so I know it's down below. We do have help on the way, lots of people are calling in so just stay inside, stay locked up and let us know if you see or hear anything else, okay? Okay, thank you."
Law enforcement received nearly a thousand frantic calls about the horrifying reality setting in.
"We're in the cooler, you're in where? We're in the cooler of what, of a business? What business? Of what the cigar shop? Yes"
"We will have officers let you know when it's safe to come out, okay? Where do we go, if you're inside a room or a business try to lock any doors you can and, ok? Okay."
Glendale police arrested Hernandez after he surrendered in the parking lot. Police say he intended to shoot ten people.
Three shooting victims are recovering from their injuries.
The incident remains under investigation. The FBI is trying to find out the motive behind the attack. Agents say the accused shooter boasted about the rampage on social media.
