Three people were shot at Westfield Valley Fair Mall in San Jose on Black Friday, sending hundreds of holiday shoppers fleeing for safety in what police described as an isolated incident stemming from a verbal altercation.
The shooting occurred around 5:40 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, on the second floor of the mall outside Macy’s. The victims—an adult male, an adult female and a 16-year-old girl—were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. San Jose Police Department officials confirmed all three sustained gunshot wounds.
According to Sgt. Jorge Garibay of the San Jose Police Department, the incident was not a random attack on shoppers. “We can say for a matter of fact that this was not unsuspected shoppers that were targeted, this was an isolated incident with two individuals,” he told reporters at the scene. The shooting appeared to result from a confrontation between the suspect and the adult male victim, with the woman and teenage girl caught as bystanders.
A preliminary investigation revealed the suspect became involved in a verbal altercation with the male victim before pulling a gun from his waistband and firing multiple shots. Police officials stated the incident appeared to be possibly gang-related, though circumstances remained under investigation.
The suspect fled the scene before police arrived, and no gun was recovered. On Sunday night a teenaged suspect was arrested.
The shooting triggered chaos at one of Northern California’s largest shopping destinations. Westfield Valley Fair, which reportedly spans over 200 stores, was packed with Black Friday shoppers when gunfire erupted. Witnesses described scenes of panic as crowds stampeded toward exits.
Shawn Kulasingham was shopping with family when he heard gunfire. “The fear was palpable. This is a really difficult thing to happen during the holiday season,” Kulasingham, visiting family for Thanksgiving, told reporters. He quickly grabbed his sister and father and took cover in an Abercrombie and Fitch store, hiding behind clothing racks and cabinets while other shoppers panicked around them.
Shoppers sheltered in multiple locations throughout the mall during the lockdown. Customers were ushered into storage areas at Bloomingdale’s by store security. Others took refuge in various stores as mall officials worked to secure the facility and account for everyone inside.
Police evacuated the mall to confirm no ongoing threat to public safety existed. The evacuation created significant traffic congestion in surrounding areas as hundreds of vehicles attempted to leave simultaneously.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan expressed support for victims and confidence in the police response. His prayers were with the victims, and he assured the community that officers were working diligently to find the person responsible and hold them accountable. The mayor emphasized there was no ongoing threat to the community but asked people to avoid the area during the investigation.
The mall, located on the border of San Jose and Santa Clara, reopened at noon Saturday with increased police patrols. Authorities advised anyone who left vehicles overnight could retrieve them at their earliest convenience. Belongings left behind during the evacuation could be picked up at a collection site on the mall’s third floor starting at noon Saturday.
Police asked anyone with cellphone video that might assist the investigation to contact the department. The incident marked a disturbing interruption to what is traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year, transforming a holiday shopping trip into a frightening experience for thousands of shoppers.
Shopping malls typically implement various security measures during peak shopping periods, though incidents like this remain relatively uncommon at major retail centers. The investigation continued into the weekend as detectives worked to determine the full circumstances surrounding the altercation that led to gunfire.