The South Shore Plaza mall has been closed after a shooting took place in Braintree, Massachusetts, on Saturday.

There is a large police presence in the area and the victim of the shooting has been transported to the Boston Hospital, according to the Massachusetts State Police.

Reports emerged that the South Shore Plaza mall had been closed down around 3.30pm local time, but it was not immediately clear what had happened.

“We heard the screams and we heard the trampling of feet. It was like a mass running of kids and adults, and people grabbing everyone that they could, dropping their bags and running in front of my store, which is all glass fronts,” a woman who works at South Shore Plaza told a reporter from NewsCenter 5.

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The police have since confirmed that a shooting has taken place. However, the Braintree Police Department have confirmed that it is safe for people to come out and that police officers will direct them.

However, as per reports, the suspect managed to flee the scene of the crime immediately after the shooting and is still at large. A manhunt is underway to apprehend the shooter.

The Braintree Police Department have also created a media staging area further away from the crime scene and further details are expected to come in soon.

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This is not the first shooting to have taken place at the South Shore Plaza mall. Back in July 2020, two males in their 20s were arrested after a shooting took place at the mall and left a 15-year-old girl injured.