A night that was supposed to be about Black Friday deals turned into something very different at Westfield Valley Fair Mall in the South Bay.
In an ABC7 News Bay Area video report, Anser Hassan and Tara Campbell explain how a shooting at the mall left three people injured, including a 16-year-old girl.
Instead of shoppers rushing for sales, people were running for their lives.
Chaos At One of the Busiest Shopping Days
Anchor Frances Wang opens the ABC7 broadcast by calling it what it was – breaking news on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
According to reporter Anser Hassan, San Jose police say the shooting happened just after 5:40 p.m. on Friday evening, outside the Macy’s store on the second floor of Westfield Valley Fair, which sits on Stevens Creek Boulevard.
Hassan reports that thousands of people were inside the mall for Black Friday when the gunfire started.
What began as a “situation between two individuals,” police say, escalated into a shooting that sent panic through the crowds.
San Jose police confirmed to Hassan that three people were shot: an adult male, an adult female, and a 16-year-old girl.
All three were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“Not Worth the 50% Off”
In the ABC7 video report, shoppers describe how normal everything felt until the loud bangs started.
One person said they initially thought something had fallen – until the noise kept going and glass shattered, forcing them to duck for cover.
Another shopper told the reporters that in their mind they wanted the sounds to be fireworks, not gunshots.
But when people started screaming and running, reality hit.
A woman interviewed by Tara Campbell summed it up in a way that will probably stick with a lot of viewers.
Laughing nervously, she said she was traumatized and that it was “not worth the 50% off.”
Another shopper told Campbell they were done with in-person Black Friday, saying they’d be “only online shopping now” because coming to the mall now felt too dangerous.
That kind of comment shows how one violent moment can change the way people feel about something as simple as holiday shopping.
Running, Hiding, And Locking Down
Hassan reports that once the shooting started, the mall went into lockdown.
Hundreds of people sheltered in place, many in the nearest store they could reach.
One shopper, identified as Bill Guppy, told Hassan that employees quickly closed the gates and locked the sliding doors within minutes.
Guppy said he sheltered for about 20 minutes while the chaos played out outside.
He described hearing lots of screaming and running at first.
Then, suddenly, it turned quiet, which can be just as scary.
Another resident, Deena Ribeiro, told the reporters there was a burst of panic – people yelling and sprinting – followed by an eerie silence.
For many inside, that silence didn’t mean safety. It meant waiting and wondering if the danger was over or just moving closer.
Inside the Stores: Fear, Fainting, And Calm Under Pressure
In her part of the ABC7 report, Tara Campbell talks with employees and shoppers who were caught in the middle of it.
One mall worker said she was just trying to get home after her shift when everything changed and she became scared for her life.
Another shopper, Emily Sanchez, told Campbell that she saw people running and hiding and immediately assumed there was someone with a gun.
Sanchez said she started running too, trying to find a table or any place to hide.
At the Lululemon store, employee Jade Apostol described how staff tried to keep things calm.
Apostol told Campbell that some customers were extremely frightened — one person even fainted and others were struggling to breathe normally.
She explained that the workers stayed as calm as they could, moved everyone into the back room, and tried to keep things organized and safe.
You can hear how proud she is that her coworkers kept their cool.
At the same time, Apostol admitted she feels nervous about going back to work, especially after seeing young children under ten with “mortified” faces during the lockdown.
Another employee said the experience “really traumatized” them, but they felt torn because they also didn’t want to let down their team and their “family” at the store.
That mix of fear and duty is something a lot of people in retail and service jobs can probably relate to.
Police Say It Was “Isolated” – But Shoppers Are Shaken
San Jose police spokesperson Sgt. Jorge Garibay told Anser Hassan that this was an isolated incident.
Garibay stressed that “unsuspecting shoppers” were not the intended targets.
He said the conflict started between two individuals, and unfortunately two other people – including the teenage girl – ended up being injured as well.
Police told Hassan and Campbell that they believe there is only one suspect involved and that a search is underway.
Officers and SWAT teams moved through the building store by store, as described by shopper Paris Avilez, who works at Aesop.
Avilez said it was like a SWAT team sweep, with police controlling the exits and telling people when it was safe to leave.
In the ABC7 coverage, Hassan reports that police want the public to know the area around the mall is now considered safe.
But safety on paper and safety in people’s hearts are not always the same thing.
Even with police calling it isolated, a lot of shoppers interviewed by Campbell say they are now rethinking whether Black Friday in person is worth the risk.
Rethinking Black Friday, Malls, And “Normal”
This is where the story becomes more than just a crime report.
The comments that Tara Campbell gathered – “I’m only online shopping now,” “I’ll never go back to Black Friday shopping,” “It’s not worth the 50% off” – show how these events push people to reassess their habits.
For many, a mall used to feel like the most ordinary place in the world.
Now, some shoppers and workers say they’ll feel nervous just walking in, even with more security.
What stands out in the ABC7 video report is how many people mention being traumatized or shaken, even though the physical injuries were labeled “non-life-threatening.”
Emotionally, this kind of thing has a long shelf life.
Kids who saw grown adults panic may carry that fear for years.
Workers who fainted, or helped crying customers hide in back rooms, will probably remember that shift every time they hear a loud bang in the mall.
At the same time, there’s something quietly inspiring in the way employees like Jade Apostol stayed calm and took charge, and how first responders moved in to clear the area and help people get out safely.
It shows that even in panic, there are still people trying to bring order and protect others.
A Community On Edge, But Moving Forward
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan spoke out about the shooting on social media, as quoted in the ABC7 report by Hassan.
He said this was not the kind of news he wanted to share over the holiday weekend and that his prayers are with the victims.
Mayor Mahan also said officers are doing everything they can to find the suspect and hold them accountable, and that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
Despite what happened, the mall plans to reopen.
Hassan reports that Westfield Valley Fair announced it would open again at noon on Saturday, with people allowed to retrieve cars and belongings they left behind during the rush to escape.
Police also told Campbell there would be increased security at the mall the next day, to try to reassure anyone who decides to come back.
Still, as Campbell notes on camera, whether that extra security will actually convince shaken shoppers to return is very much “up in the air.”
That might be the most honest part of the whole story.
You can reopen doors.
You can clear crime tape.
You can even mark injuries as non-life-threatening.
But as the ABC7 News Bay Area reporting from Anser Hassan, Tara Campbell, and Frances Wang makes clear, you can’t flip a switch and return people’s sense of safety.
For a lot of those who were there, Black Friday 2025 will always be the night when the hunt for 50% off turned into a stampede to stay alive.
Mark grew up in the heart of Texas, where tornadoes and extreme weather were a part of life. His early experiences sparked a fascination with emergency preparedness and homesteading. A father of three, Mark is dedicated to teaching families how to be self-sufficient, with a focus on food storage, DIY projects, and energy independence. His writing empowers everyday people to take small steps toward greater self-reliance without feeling overwhelmed.
