Acadiana Mall reopened Friday after a chaotic evening that saw a former security guard arrested for causing widespread panic among shoppers.
Gregory Stevens, 38, was taken into custody late Thursday night following reports of an alleged gunman at the popular shopping center.
Stevens, who had been fired as a security guard in December and banned from the mall, was arrested in the 100 block of Pleasant View Drive in Lafayette, just a few miles from the mall. Police say Stevens was acting erratic in the mall, causing shoppers to panic.
Police say Stevens was arrested for trespassing, terrorizing, and a warrant for possession of a stolen firearm in connection with an unrelated incident.
Video shared with KATC showed mall-goers running in panic as armed officers searched the mall’s interior and exterior.
Lafayette Police Department (LPD) confirmed in a statement that there was no evidence of shots fired during the incident.
They explained that the noise of businesses closing their roll-down security doors, coupled with people yelling and fleeing, contributed to the confusion.
Monnie Jenkins, a shopper who was at the mall on Friday afternoon, said the experience would not deter her from returning. "We still gotta live," she said. "I hate it for those who were impacted by it, but I say we pray together and find ways to interact with each other out here."
We reached out to Acadiana Mall for a comment. A spokesperson said they would be in contact with management for a statement.
Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the incident.