Mall Panic was False Alarm but Scare was real...

[Sig556r]

Being a Tax-free weekend in Texas, malls & stores were packed with shoppers, mostly with kids in tow, taking advantage in prep for school opening.
T'was a quiet Sunday, attended mass, grab a quick lunch then off to Memorial City Mall in West Houston to pick up school supplies. Scarce parking, decided to drop wife & daughter (youngest stayed with me, he hates shopping) so they can have a headstart.
5 mins driving around, I noticed people running away from mall entrances most on their cellphones signalling others to turn back. I immediately parked & instructed my son to stay put while I assess the situation. It was hard to pick up the pieces from conflicting accounts from most scampering people I asked.
Tried calling wife & daughter but lines were busy. Finally got texts from my sister (not on the scene) saying she got texts from my wife & daughter, they're holding out in a store stockroom since the storekeeper believe there was an active shooter. They added that I don't enter the mall & keep my youngest safe. I was so helpless trying to calm my son & at the same time thinking what if.
Then I saw a calm lady on her phone just getting on her car & I asked her what's going on. She narrated that she was dining at the mall's foodcourt when a masked man stood up a table & started shouting triggering an instant mass dispersion of people. She added that she didn't hear any gunshots so she just waited it out before walking away after the stampede. After the dust settled, it turned out that her account was the accurate one.
After half an hour & saw lots of cops getting in & out of the mall, I decided to get in & headed directly to the store where wife & daughter were. Kudos to HPD's quick response, they're already methodically going thru all stores, entry/exits, getting all shoppers to calmly head to the designated egress point. Great relief when I saw my wife still trembling & angry at the same time why I fail to pick up any of their calls. I just hug both of them & took them out to safety.
Takeways:
1. Cellphones may not be as reliable when a lot of people are trying to get thru in times of mass panic.
2. Most people frantically fleeing away from a potential threat have unreliable account of what's going on. Worse if you rely on social media. Better to look for calmer ones to ask.
3. Being separated with your loved ones in a crowded place will make you feel helpless in times of a possible threat.
4. Ensuing traffic jam was hellish, could have been a bigger disaster had their been a real threat.
5. Injuries, kids separated, elders needing medical attention, lost items were all brought about by hysteria as everyone is racing away from something they know nothing about. Shoppers on edge due to recent events will make own stories in their heads in times of panic.

Be safe out there guys.

[MrWolf]

Glad everything worked out. Some good advise, thanks.

[JBinMN]

This stuff is getting out of hand.

One of these times some guy pulling one of these stunts is gonna get his "due" for "crying wolf".

It is the same as the yelling, "Fire!" in a crowded space.

Glad you & family ended up safe & unhurt!

[Three44s]

The perp likely stowed the mask and faded into the wood work to enjoy the mayhem (it) created.

JBinMn beat me to it ..... I think that yelling fire falsely in a crowded space applies here. All we need now is the mainstream media to seize on it and the horses will be out of the barn triggering a swath of copy kits.

Three44s

[Sig556r]

Thanks guys, wife & daughter weren't the only ones who got a first-hand lesson, I surely did.
Perp still at-large as of late last night, guess he easily blended with the crowd with mask off. He did left a bag, no details yet, but HPD confirmed no bombs nor firecrackers, hopefully enough clues to nail the guy.

[salty dog]

Good observations. I've also noticed that any time there is an ongoing incident that the first reports should not be trusted because they come from people who are eager to talk to somebody before any information is known.

[Sig556r]

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...y-14296061.php

[Tatume]

Was this mall a "gun free zone?"

[Sig556r]

Was this mall a "gun free zone?"

I always packed but per their website:
...you are prohibited from engaging in any of the following activities while on this property.
• Carrying or possessing any weapons of any kind, including weapons carried pursuant to a valid license.
https://www.memorialcity.com/about-u...mmon-courtesy/

[popper]

heard about one in Springfield the other day, guy walked in with rifle, ammo & cammo but did nothing but post to social. Cops arrested him, don't know what charges. Nut case!

[nicholst55]

Unless I'm badly mistaken, 'the authorities' have the ability to shut down cell service in specific areas during terrorist attacks/civil unrest. That makes relying on cell phones even less likely to succeed.

[Shopdog]

Very good accounting,thanks for posting. I learned a cpl things.

[osteodoc08]

This again shows that ones guard must never be let down and not to fall into the “it’ll never happen to me” type of thinking. Glad everyone safely made it home.

[reddog81]

That’s some crazy stuff. Apparently people will do anything for their 15 minutes of fame and now the psychos know the media will eat this type of stuff up.

Glad you and your family are OK.

[abunaitoo]

I wouldn't put it pass an, anti-gun damacrat, pulling something like this, just to help their misguided cause.
Those people will do anything, and most of the time, get away with it.
We had a girl, walk into the airport, with a shirt that had wires, flashing lights and a timer on it.
She was caught.
Went to court and nothing happened to her.
They just let her go.
She said she was just exercising her right to free speech.