Shots fired during robbery at Ford City Mall

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Shots were fired Friday afternoon during an armed robbery at Treasures Jewelry Store inside Ford City Mall on Chicago's Southwest Side, police said. The mall is located in the 7600-block of South Cicero Avenue.

The shooting occurred at about 11: 10 a.m. and still had the mall entrance blocked for about two hours. Police say two men dressed in dark clothing and wearing hats walked into the mall store and asked to look at several jewelry items. When a store employee tried to put the jewelry back into the case, the men pulled out guns.

"I hear these gunshots, I come out and I see everybody running around saying 'Get down! Get down! There's somebody shooting in the mall!' So I stopped and I froze, I was stuck," said Tierre Royster, who was shopping at the time.

Detectives say the armed robbers ran out of the store and left the mall through the north exit.

"During the course of leaving the store, as the employees and security began to follow, we know that one of the individuals discharged his weapon at least five times straight up into the air at the ceiling," said Chicago Police Department Commander Al Nagode.

Although no one was chasing them one of the gunmen still turned and fired three more times at the door before the pair escaped into a waiting small silver SUV.

No injuries were reported.

Police are reviewing cell phone video and gathering evidence while they determined if store security footage and other surveillance cameras will yield any clues as to the gunmen's identities. No one is currently in custody.

Mall officials are assuring customers that the mall is safe, but some shoppers remain shaken by the ordeal.

"Obviously like these can happen anywhere, but as always the safety of our customers and our tenants are first and foremost," said Tracy Munno, the mall's general manager.

"I was on the phone taking to my kids' grandma and she was like 'Get somewhere safe!' And I was like, I can't believe they're shooting in the mall, it's crazy out here!" says Royster.