Jewelry store robbery attempt prompts 'active shooter' scare at McAllen mall, officials say

MCALLEN, Texas – Reports of an active shooter were squashed by the McAllen police chief Saturday.

The Hidalgo County Constable Precinct 4's office initially said there was an active shooter at La Plaza Mall, though as details emerged, police reported otherwise.

Madeline Madden, a 17-year-old from McAllen, told The Monitor of McAllen that she was inside Glitz and Glamour, a boutique just across from the mall, when she saw people rush out of the mall and into the parking lot.

She said one frightened couple ran into the boutique seeking safety.

"The man and his wife came in with their kids and asked if they were going to lock the door, and they told us what happened ... that there had been a shooting," Madden said. "They were trying to get away. The wife was crying and the man looked really nervous. They had a newborn and a toddler with them, and the toddler was crying. Someone else came and had cuts all over them from falling. We had to lock the doors and wouldn't let anyone else into the store."

Several law enforcement agencies rushed to the scene, including officers from the McAllen Police Department, Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office and Texas Department of Public Safety.

All people involved in the attempted robbery of the jewelry store are in custody and no injuries were reported, police said. "Reports of shots fired are attributed to smashing glass cases," police said.

Police are working to learn more about this situation.