An 18-year-old Colorado Springs man was killed in a shooting at mall on Christmas Eve, the Colorado Springs Police Department announced Thursday.
Teryus Thomas’ death is being investigated as a homicide, though the cause and manner of his death are still being determined by the El Paso County Coroner’s Office, police said in a news release.
The shooting occurred at 4:34 p.m. Sunday at the mall at 750 Citadel Drive E when a fight broke out between two groups of people, according to the department.
Thomas was found dead at the scene from a gunshot wound. Two men were shot and taken to a hospital in critical condition and were still hospitalized in stable condition as of Wednesday night, spokesperson Ira Cronin said in an email.
A woman who sustained minor injuries in the fight was treated and released from the hospital Sunday night.
Police have not released the ages of the three people who were injured, though Thomas and the three injured people are all believed to be involved in the in some way, Cronin said.
Cronin declined to say where in the mall the shooting took place and referred questions to mall management.
In a statement, Citadel officials said a mall security officer was seriously wounded while “trying to prevent the situation that unfolded.”
The mall has “invested substantially” in enhancing safety and security at the property, officials said in a statement.
“In the wake of this incident, our primary concern remains the safety and well-being of everyone at Citadel Mall. We remain fully committed to the heightened security presence on property and have further increased patrol efforts on site while this active police investigation continues,” according to the statement. “We are currently evaluating options for long-term measures and will take any necessary actions to ensure Citadel Mall is a safe place for all.”
No arrests have been made in the case, though police are working to confirm the identities of suspects and other potential persons of interest in the case, Cronin said.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 11:30 a.m., Dec. 31, 2023 to add a statement from Citadel mall management.
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