Patrons Duck As Shots Fired At Alderwood Mall Food Court

LYNNWOOD - A drive-by shooting just outside Alderwood Mall's food court last night gave shoppers a big scare but injured no one.

At about 8:15 p.m., two groups of males in their late teens exchanged heated comments inside the food court before walking out of the mall, said Sgt. Scott Crichton of the Lynnwood Police Department.

One group of five teens stood outside the entrance to the food court, while another group of three got inside a car. One youth in the car walked back to the group of five, taunting them with a small-caliber automatic handgun, Crichton said.

The teen with the gun went back to the car, Crichton said. A few minutes later, the group drove back and fired several shots out the window at the group of five, before speeding off, he said.

Bystanders inside and outside the glass-enclosed entrance hit the floor.

It did not appear that the group intended to hit anyone since the lowest shot was 10 feet off the ground, Crichton said. About six shots hit the building itself.

Police last night were still looking for the youths who fired the shots.