A tragic incident unfolded at Fashion Island Mall in Newport Beach on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in the death of one person. The Newport Beach Fire Department confirmed that firefighters responded to the scene shortly after 3:30 p.m. and discovered a deceased individual in the parking lot area near the Barnes & Noble bookstore.
Authorities quickly initiated a pursuit of the alleged suspects, which led them into Los Angeles County. According to police reports, two suspects exited their vehicle near Los Alamitos, while the car continued westbound on the 105 Freeway, reaching speeds of up to 110 mph. Upon exiting the freeway, two additional suspects fled the vehicle and ran through a nearby South Gate neighborhood. One suspect was later apprehended, found hiding behind trash cans near a local residence.
At this time, no information has been released regarding the identities of the suspects or the victim. The Newport Beach Police Department has advised residents to avoid the mall area as the investigation continues. “Police activity is occurring in the Fashion Island area. Officers are on-scene and the situation is still developing. NBPD is aware of a possible shooting in the area. There are multiple officers on scene ensuring the safety of the public. As more information becomes available, we will send additional updates. Please avoid the area,” police said in a statement.
Eyewitnesses recounted the chaotic scene. A woman told NBCLA that she was parking her car on her way to a Starbucks at the mall when another shopper stopped her. “I was just parking my car. And this gal came up to me and said she heard shots, and she said to leave the area,” the woman told the outlet.
Another woman, who works just a few stores down from where the shooting occurred, told ABC7 that she was initially unsure of what was happening. “A lady went in with her daughter, screaming like, ‘There’s a shooter! There’s a shooter,'” she told the outlet. “We ended up locking down with a lot of customers in there and then waiting.”
The Newport Beach Police Department held a news conference where Sgt. Steven Oberon provided more details about the incident. He explained that a husband and wife were walking at Fashion Island when they were approached around 3:30 p.m. by two male suspects who attempted to rob them. A struggle ensued, and the woman was dragged into a parking lot and subsequently run over by the suspects’ white Toyota Camry. The woman, who has not been identified, was fatally wounded. Her husband is believed to be uninjured.
One suspect fled on foot while the others drove off. Residents were notified around 4 p.m. by authorities to avoid the shopping plaza as the investigation continued. Police were seen at the center guiding the public to safety, and helicopters were flying overhead.
A white tent was set up near Bloomingdale’s at Fashion Island on Tuesday afternoon as Newport Beach police investigated the shooting. A woman who declined to give her name but was shopping in the area described the situation to the Daily Pilot as a “hullabaloo,” noting that she was from Los Angeles and was thankful that police responded quickly. She said she’d heard on the social platform X that officers caught the suspects in a car chase in the city, aligning with KCAL9 reports that indicated two suspects related to the shooting led police on a chase to South Gate, where both suspects were taken into custody near Lincoln Avenue and Paramount Boulevard. Oberon said the third suspect was also taken into custody in Cypress.
A young man who asked not to be identified said he was at CUCINA enoteca in Fashion Island Tuesday afternoon when the incident occurred. “About 20 people were running and screaming, ‘Someone’s shooting!’ They locked us in the restaurant, and I hear for sure one person was dead and I think several injured,” he said.
Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill expressed his condolences and frustration at the news conference. “Newport Beach is a safe community and we’re mourning the loss of someone. Frankly, to hell with these guys. … These are thugs. Every community is now dealing with this. We have to do better as a society. We cannot tolerate this.”
This incident follows an attempted robbery that occurred last summer at Fashion Island. The community remains on edge as they await further updates from authorities.
Source: NBCLA, ABC7, Daily Pilot, KCAL9
